Materials & Chemical
Materials science, metallurgy, polymers, and chemical process engineering.
100 topics: 34 beginner, 33 intermediate, 33 advanced.
About this discipline
Materials and chemical engineering connect what a material is made of to how it behaves, and how that material can be made, shaped and used in a process. Atomic structure, defects and heat treatment explain strength; reactors, distillation and process control explain how chemicals are produced.
The course begins with material classes, crystal structures and mechanical testing, moves through steels, alloys, corrosion and polymers and composites, then covers process material and energy balances, separations, reactors and plant design.
Who it is for
Materials science and chemical engineering students, process and quality engineers, and anyone who selects materials for a product or designs a chemical process.
How the levels build
Beginner topics cover material classes, bonding, crystal structures, mechanical testing and basic process balances. Intermediate topics cover phase diagrams, steels, polymers, composites, reaction kinetics and separations. Advanced topics cover process design, control, safety, economics and emerging battery and additive materials.
Use cases
- Selecting a stainless steel for a corrosive process tank.
- Heat treating a shaft to get strength and toughness together.
- Choosing a polymer for a housing that must stay stiff at a set temperature.
- Sizing a distillation column for a required product purity.
Beginner Materials & Chemical
Topic 1Classes of engineering materialsMetals, ceramics, polymers, composites and semiconductors have distinct properties.Topic 2Atomic structure and bondingIonic, covalent and metallic bonds determine material behaviour.Topic 3Crystal structuresFCC, BCC and HCP lattices describe atomic arrangements in metals.Topic 4Miller indicesNotation for crystal planes and directions.Topic 5Packing factor and densityAtomic arrangement determines how much volume atoms fill.Topic 6Crystal defectsVacancies, dislocations and grain boundaries control strength.Topic 7DiffusionAtoms migrate in solids; rate follows Arrhenius temperature dependence and Fick's laws.Topic 8Mechanical propertiesStrength, hardness, ductility, toughness and stiffness.Topic 9Hardness testingBrinell, Rockwell and Vickers tests indent a material to measure hardness.Topic 10Tensile testingProduces stress-strain data to find yield and ultimate strength.Topic 11Impact testingCharpy test measures toughness and ductile-to-brittle transition.Topic 12Strengthening mechanismsGrain refinement, solid solution, strain hardening and precipitation hardening.Topic 13Strain hardeningPlastic deformation increases dislocations and strength.Topic 14Recovery, recrystallisation and grain growthHeating a cold-worked metal restores ductility.Topic 15Phase diagramsMaps of phases present at given temperature and composition.Topic 16Lever ruleCalculates fractions of phases in a two-phase region.Topic 17Iron-carbon diagramDescribes steels and cast irons including ferrite, austenite and cementite.Topic 18Steel typesLow, medium and high carbon steels and alloy steels have different uses.Topic 19Heat treatment of steelAnnealing, normalising, quenching and tempering tailor properties.Topic 20TTT and CCT diagramsShow transformation of austenite with time and cooling rate.Topic 21HardenabilityAbility of steel to form martensite to depth; tested by Jominy test.Topic 22Cast ironsGrey, ductile and white irons differ by graphite form.Topic 23Stainless steelsChromium forms a passive oxide layer providing corrosion resistance.Topic 24Aluminium alloysLight, corrosion-resistant metals strengthened by precipitation.Topic 25Copper alloysBrass and bronze provide conductivity and corrosion resistance.Topic 26Titanium and superalloysHigh strength-to-weight and high-temperature capability for aerospace.Topic 27Magnesium and light alloysVery low density metals for weight-critical parts.Topic 28Powder metallurgyPressing and sintering powders produces near-net-shape parts.Topic 29Corrosion basicsElectrochemical reaction degrading metals.Topic 30Galvanic and pitting corrosionDissimilar metals or localised attack cause rapid damage.Topic 31Corrosion preventionCoatings, cathodic protection and material selection control corrosion.Topic 32Oxidation and high temperature degradationScale formation and creep limit service temperature.Topic 33Wear and tribologyFriction, lubrication and wear mechanisms of surfaces.Topic 34CeramicsHard, brittle, heat-resistant materials with ionic or covalent bonds.
Intermediate Materials & Chemical
Topic 35GlassAmorphous ceramic with glass transition rather than melting point.Topic 36Cement and refractoriesCeramics used for construction and furnaces.Topic 37Advanced ceramicsAlumina, silicon carbide and zirconia for demanding uses.Topic 38PolymersLong-chain molecules classified as thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers.Topic 39PolymerisationChain-growth and step-growth reactions build polymers.Topic 40ThermoplasticsSoften on heating and can be remoulded.Topic 41ThermosetsCross-linked polymers that harden permanently.Topic 42ElastomersRubber-like polymers with large reversible strains.Topic 43ViscoelasticityPolymers show both viscous and elastic response.Topic 44Glass transition temperaturePolymers change from glassy to rubbery at Tg.Topic 45Polymer processingInjection moulding, extrusion and blow moulding shape plastics.Topic 46CompositesCombine a matrix and reinforcement for tailored properties.Topic 47Fibre-reinforced polymersCarbon and glass fibres give high strength-to-weight ratios.Topic 48Rule of mixturesEstimates composite properties from constituent fractions.Topic 49LaminatesStacked plies with directions designed for loads.Topic 50Sandwich structuresLight cores between stiff skins give high bending stiffness.Topic 51BiomaterialsMaterials compatible with the body for implants and devices.Topic 52Semiconductor materialsSilicon, germanium and compound semiconductors for electronics.Topic 53Magnetic materialsSoft and hard magnets for transformers and permanent magnets.Topic 54SuperconductorsMaterials with zero resistance below critical temperature.Topic 55Optical and photonic materialsControl transmission, absorption and emission of light.Topic 56NanomaterialsProperties change at nanoscale due to surface effects and quantum confinement.Topic 57Smart materialsPiezoelectric, shape-memory and magnetostrictive materials respond to stimuli.Topic 58Materials selectionAshby charts compare properties to choose optimal materials.Topic 59Failure analysisFractography and testing find root causes of failures.Topic 60Non-destructive testingUltrasonic, radiographic, magnetic particle and dye penetrant inspection find flaws.Topic 61Material characterisationMicroscopy, XRD and spectroscopy reveal structure and composition.Topic 62Recycling and life-cycle assessmentEvaluate environmental impact of materials over life.Topic 63Introduction to chemical engineeringDesign processes that convert raw materials to useful products.Topic 64StoichiometryQuantitative relationships in chemical reactions.Topic 65Material balancesMass in minus mass out plus generation equals accumulation.Topic 66Energy balances in processesAccount for heat of reaction, sensible heat and work.Topic 67Unit operationsStandard process steps like mixing, separation and heat transfer.
Advanced Materials & Chemical
Topic 68Process flow diagramsShow equipment and streams of a process.Topic 69P&IDPiping and instrumentation diagrams detail valves, instruments and control loops.Topic 70Chemical thermodynamicsPhase and reaction equilibria determine process feasibility.Topic 71Vapour-liquid equilibriumRelates compositions of vapour and liquid phases.Topic 72DistillationSeparates mixtures by differences in volatility using staged columns.Topic 73McCabe-Thiele methodGraphical stage calculation for binary distillation.Topic 74Absorption and strippingTransfer a component between gas and liquid phases.Topic 75Liquid-liquid extractionUses a solvent to separate components.Topic 76AdsorptionMolecules stick to solid surfaces, used for purification.Topic 77Membrane separationSelective permeation for desalination and gas separation.Topic 78Filtration and sedimentationSeparate solids from fluids.Topic 79Crystallisation and dryingForm solids from solution and remove moisture.Topic 80Reaction kineticsRate laws describe how fast reactions proceed.Topic 81Arrhenius equationk=A e^{-Ea/RT} shows temperature dependence of rate.Topic 82Batch and CSTR reactorsIdeal mixed reactors for different operation modes.Topic 83Plug flow reactorsIdeal tubular reactors with no axial mixing.Topic 84Reactor design equationsUse conversion and rate to size reactors.Topic 85CatalysisCatalysts lower activation energy and increase selectivity.Topic 86Heterogeneous catalysisReactions on solid catalyst surfaces with diffusion limitations.Topic 87Residence time distributionDescribes non-ideal flow in reactors.Topic 88Mass transferDiffusion and convection of species between phases.Topic 89Fluid handling in plantsPumps, compressors and piping design for process fluids.Topic 90Process control in chemical plantsPID loops regulate temperature, level, flow and composition.Topic 91Process safetyHAZOP, relief systems and layers of protection prevent accidents.Topic 92Process simulationSoftware such as Aspen models plants.Topic 93Process economicsCapital and operating cost, NPV and payback evaluate projects.Topic 94Biochemical engineeringFermentation, enzymes and bioreactors make bioproducts.Topic 95Petroleum refiningCrude oil fractionation and conversion into fuels.Topic 96Polymer and petrochemical industriesLarge-scale production of plastics and chemicals.Topic 97Electrochemical engineeringBatteries, fuel cells and electrolysis.Topic 98Green chemistry and sustainabilityReduce waste and hazards in design of processes.Topic 99Metal additive manufacturing metallurgyRapid melting and cooling in 3D printing creates unique microstructures and residual stress.Topic 100Solid-state batteriesReplace liquid electrolyte with solid conductors for higher safety and energy density.
Frequently asked questions
What is Materials & Chemical?
Materials science, metallurgy, polymers, and chemical process engineering.
How many topics are in Materials & Chemical?
100 topics, ordered from beginner to advanced: 34 beginner, 33 intermediate and 33 advanced.
Where should a beginner start in Materials & Chemical?
Start with "Classes of engineering materials" and work through the list in order. Each topic builds on the one before it.
Why does heat treatment change steel so much?
Heating and cooling change the crystal structure and the distribution of carbon, which controls hardness, strength and toughness.
What is the difference between a material class and a material grade?
A class such as steel or polymer describes a family with common behaviour. A grade specifies a particular composition and processing with guaranteed properties.
Why do materials fail in service even when tests pass?
Service conditions such as fatigue, corrosion, temperature and wear can differ from the test. Failure analysis and realistic testing close that gap.
What is a material balance used for?
It accounts for every mass flow in a process, so you can size equipment, find losses and check that a plant design is consistent.
Why is process safety part of chemical engineering?
Chemical plants handle energy, pressure and toxic materials. Hazard studies and protective systems prevent major accidents.
Practise in the interactive course with quizzes, tests and labs.