Structure of Materials (edX)

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Structure of Materials (edX)
Course Auditing
Categories
Effort
Certification
Languages
University-level chemistry.
Misc

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Structure of Materials (edX)
Discover the structure of the materials that make up our modern world and learn how this underlying structure influences the properties and performance of these materials. Structure determines so much about a material: its properties, its potential applications, and its performance within those applications. This course from MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering explores the structure of a wide variety of materials with current-day engineering applications.

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The course begins with an introduction to amorphous materials. We explore glasses and polymers, learn about the factors that influence their structure, and learn how materials scientists measure and describe the structure of these materials.

Then we begin a discussion of the crystalline state, exploring what it means for a material to be crystalline, how we describe directions in a crystal, and how we can determine the structure of crystal through x-ray diffraction. We explore the underlying crystalline structures that underpin so many of the materials that surround us. Finally, we look at how tensors can be used to represent the properties of three-dimensional materials, and we consider how symmetry places constraints on the properties of materials.

We move on to an exploration of quasi-, plastic, and liquid crystals. Then, we learn about the point defects that are present in all crystals, and we will learn how the presence of these defects lead to diffusion in materials. Next, we will explore dislocations in materials. We will introduce the descriptors that we use to describe dislocations, we will learn about dislocation motion, and will consider how dislocations dramatically affect the strength of materials. Finally, we will explore how defects can be used to strengthen materials, and we will learn about the properties of higher-order defects such as stacking faults and grain boundaries.


What you'll learn

- How we characterize the structure of glasses and polymers

- The principles of x-ray diffraction that allow us to probe the structure of crystals

- How the symmetry of a material influences its materials properties

- The properties of liquid crystals and how these materials are used in modern display technologies

- How defects impact numerous properties of materials—from the conductivity of semiconductors to the strength of structural materials


Course Syllabus


Part 1: An Introduction to Materials Science

Structure of materials roadmap

States of matter and bonding
Part 2: Descriptors

Descriptors: concept and function

Free volume

Pair distribution function
Part 3: Glasses

Glass processing methods

Continuous network model

Network modifiers
Part 4: Polymers

Random walk model

Chain-to-chain end distance

Order and disorder in polymers
Part 5: An Introduction to the Crystalline State

Translational symmetry

The crystalline state in 2D

The crystalline state in 3D
Part 6: Real and Reciprocal Space

Miller indices

Real space

Reciprocal space
Part 7: X-Ray Diffraction

Bragg’s Law

Diffraction examples
Part 8: Symmetry in 2D Crystals

Translation, mirror, glide and rotation symmetry
Part 9: Point groups in 2D

Allowed rotational symmetries in crystals

The 10 2D point groups

An introduction to crystallographic notation
Part 10: Plane groups in 2D

The five 2D lattice types

The 17 plane groups in 2D
Part 11: Symmetry in 3D Crystals

Inversion, Roto-Inversion, and Roto-reflection

Screw symmetry
Part 12: 3D Space Point groups

Space point groups

Stereographic projection
Part 13: 3D Space Groups

Crystal lattices

Space groups
Part 14: An Introduction to Tensors

Symmetry constraints on materials properties

Coordinate transformation
Part 15: Quasi, Plastic, and Liquid Crystals

Quasi crystals

An introduction to plastic and liquid crystals

Liquid crystal descriptors

Liquid crystal applications
Part 16: Introduction to Point Defects

Thermodynamics of point defects

Vacancies, interstitials, solid solutions and nonequilibrium defects
Part 17: Ionic Point Defects & Diffusion

Kröger-Vink notation

Extrinsic defects

Diffusion
Part 18: Dislocations and Deformation

Intro d shear stress
Part 19: Strengthening & Surface Energy

Strengthening Mechanisms

Surface free energy

Wulff shape
Part 20: 2-Dimensional Defects

Surface defects

Stacking faults

Grain boundaries

Surface reconstruction

Linear defects in liquid crystals



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Course Auditing
42.00 EUR
University-level chemistry.

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.