Programme

Introduction to the World of Materials
- Historical background, evolution of materials, an internal look at their structure, and an overview of transformations
- Properties and performance of components

Basic Properties and Elastic Behavior
- Intrinsic properties
- Extrinsic properties
- Mechanical stress systems: rigid body, deformable body, continuum mechanics; linear elasticity, Hooke's law, elastic behavior of isotropic solids

Composition and Structure of Matter at Different Dimensional Scales
- Composition: molecules, chemical bonding, Condon-Morse curves; ionic materials, molecular materials
- Thermodynamic origin of elasticity
- Structures: amorphous and crystalline, Bravais lattices, and Miller indices
- Defects in crystalline solids: point, line, and surface defects

Mechanical Behavior of Materials
- Influence of T (temperature) and t (time) on mechanical behavior depending on the nature of the material
- Static tensile stresses at low T: stress-strain curve (elastic field, plastic field, critical points)
- Mechanical properties: ductility, hardness, brittleness, resilience, and toughness (property measurement techniques)
- Fracture mechanics: Griffith's energy theory, stress intensity factor, fracture toughness
- Dynamic stresses: fatigue, Wohler curve, Paris-Erdogan law

Single-Phase and Multi-Phase Systems
- Thermodynamics of systems: thermodynamics of condensed states, basic concepts, first law, second law, equilibrium conditions, non-equilibrium states, combined first and second laws, characteristic state functions
- Solid-state solubility: cooling curves of single-component systems, aggregation state, Hume-Rothery rules, solid solutions, phases
- Solubility dependence on composition, temperature, and pressure: Gibbs rule and lever rule, Gibbs energy, Gibbs curves, phase equilibria in binary systems
- Solid-state phase transformations: diffusion mechanisms, activation energy, and Fick’s laws
- Solidification kinetics and microstructures: nucleation and growth, key thermodynamic transformations, microstructures

Introduction to the Main Classes of Metallic Materials
- Iron-based alloys: classification of steels and cast irons, main phase diagrams, classification of specific heat treatments; special steels, stainless steels, and applications
- Titanium alloys: properties, processes – applications
- Aluminum alloys: properties, processes – applications
- Superalloys: properties, processes – applications

Introduction to the Main Classes of Non-Metallic Materials
- Polymers and polymer matrix composites: properties, processes, applications
- Ceramics: properties, processes, an introduction to Weibull statistics – applications
- Recap, Complements, In-Depth Topics, and Numerical Exercises for Each Subject

Core Documentation

W.D. Callister, Jr. and D.G. Rethwisch
- Materials Science and Engineering
Publisher: Wiley

Vincenzo Casciaro and Carlo Mapelli
- Science and Technology of Metallic Materials
Publisher: CittàStudi Edizioni

Lucio Vergani, Maurizio Carboni
- Exercises in Materials Science and Technology
Publisher: Esculapio

Slides shown during lectures: available as PDFs on Moodle
Lecture notes: available online on the group's Teams site

Reference Bibliography

Metallic Materials Porter D.A., Easterling K.E., Sherif M.Y., Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys, 4th ed., CRC Press, 2022. ISBN: 9780367430344. Reed-Hill R.E., Abbaschian R., Physical Metallurgy Principles, 3rd ed., PWS-Kent Publishing, 1992. ISBN: 9780534948598. Campbell F.C., Elements of Metallurgy and Engineering Alloys, ASM International, 2008. ISBN: 9781615030583. Herzog D., Seyda V., Wycisk E., Emmelmann C., “Additive manufacturing of metals,” Acta Materialia, vol. 117, 2016, pp. 371–392. DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.07.019 ASM International, ASM Handbook Volume 1: Properties and Selection—Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys, ASM International, 1990. ISBN: 9780871703781. Ceramic Materials Richerson D.W., Lee W.E., Modern Ceramic Engineering: Properties, Processing, and Use in Design, 4th ed., CRC Press, 2018. ISBN: 9781498716918. Munz D., Fett T., Ceramics: Mechanical Properties, Failure Behaviour, Materials Selection, Springer, 1999. ISBN: 9783642635809. Barsoum M.W., Fundamentals of Ceramics, 2nd ed., CRC Press, 2016. ISBN: 9781498708135. Somiya S. (ed.), Handbook of Advanced Ceramics: Materials, Applications, Processing, and Properties, 2nd ed., Academic Press, 2013. ISBN: 9780123854698.5 Polymers Brückner S., Allegra G., Pegoraro M. et al., Scienza e tecnologia dei materiali polimerici, 4ª ed., EdiSES, 2023. ISBN: 9788836231461. Young R.J., Lovell P.A., Introduction to Polymers, 3rd ed., CRC Press, 2011. ISBN: 9780849339295. Odian G., Principles of Polymerization, 4th ed., Wiley-Interscience, 2004. ISBN: 9780471274001. Brandrup J., Immergut E.H., Grulke E.A. (eds.), Polymer Handbook, 4th ed., Wiley-Interscience, 1999. ISBN: 9780471166283. Composite Materials Chawla K.K., Composite Materials: Science and Engineering, 3rd ed., Springer, 2013. ISBN: 9780387743646. Daniel I.M., Ishai O., Engineering Mechanics of Composite Materials, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN: 9780195150971. Harris B., Engineering Composite Materials, 2nd ed., The Institute of Materials, 1999. ISBN: 9781861250322. ASM International, ASM Handbook Volume 21: Composites, ASM International, 2001. ISBN: 9780871707031.

Attendance

Attendance to the course is optional but strongly recommended to ensure a thorough understanding of the topics covered and to fully benefit from the practical exercises, in-class Q&A sessions, seminars, and laboratory visits. Lectures and practical activities are conducted in person, supported by educational materials provided through the Moodle platform to complement the learning experience.

Type of evaluation

WRITTEN EXAM (single quiz with 10 questions): 1 open-ended question, 9 multiple-choice questions. Taking the quiz is mandatory in order to access the oral exam. Students will be admitted to the oral exam only if they answer at least 6 multiple-choice questions correctly, scoring a minimum of 12 points. Access to the quiz will be granted through a password communicated shortly before the start of the test. Students will only be allowed to log in at the officially scheduled start time—not before, not after. Question #1: This question must be answered in writing on squared exam paper. To complete this part, students must bring: pencil, eraser, black pen, optional red pen, set square, ruler, calculator, periodic table of elements, and the squared exam sheet. The answer must be written legibly—unreadable text will not be considered during grading. ⚠️ Important: The written answer to Question #1 is worth up to 3 points. It will be graded later and will be discussed during the oral exam. However, failure to submit an answer (i.e., leaving it blank) or receiving an unsatisfactory grade for this question will disqualify the student from proceeding to the oral exam, regardless of their score on the multiple-choice section.