MAT 100A. Structure Property Relationships. Fall 2009.

Course info:

Class time/place: Mon/Wed 2.00 - 3.15 pm, Phelps 3515
Instructor: Prof. Nicola Spaldin, Room 3014 MRL, nicola@mrl.ucsb.edu
Office Hours: Mon 3.30-4.00 pm; Wed. 1.15-1.45 pm.

TAs Jason Jewell, jjewell31@gmail.com, and Arthur Reading, artrea@gmail.com
Office Hours Tuesday noon - 1 pm (Arthur) MRL 3117C, Friday 4 - 5 pm (Jason) Phelps 1417
Discussion Time Thursday 4 - 5 pm, Phelps 1417

Text Book:

Materials Science and Engineering, An Introduction by William D. Callister, Jr. Seventh Edition, Wiley. This will also be the text for 100B and C.

Course outline:

Introduction to Materials in Modern Technology. Materials as
an enabling element of technological progress. Functions that materials
perform. The properties-structure-processing connection.

The Structure of Materials. Atomic structure, atomic bonding
in solids, molecular structures. The arrangement of atoms and
molecules in liquids and solids. Crystals, amorphous solids,
mesoporous materials, liquid crystals, quasicrystals, self-assembling
systems. Crystal structures, directions and planes.

Imperfections in Solids. Point, line and interfacial defects.
Vacancies, self-intersitials, impurities/solute atoms. Entropy effects.
Dislocations, grain boundaries and interfaces. Microstructure.

Electrical Properties of Materials I. Electrical conduction,
energy band structures and relationship to bonding. Semiconductors,
intrinsic/extrinsic semiconduction and temperature effects.
Hall effect. Semiconductor devices.

MIDTERM EXAM - Wednesday October 28th in class

Electrical Properties of Materials II. Conduction in ceramics and
polymers. Dielectric behavior and capacitance. Ferroelectrics and
piezoelectrics.

Magnetic Properties. Basic concepts of magnetism. Types of
magnetic behavior. Magnetic domains, soft and hard magnetic materials.
Magnetic devices. Superconductivity.

Optical Properties. Basic concepts. Refraction and reflection.
Absorption and transmissions, color. Luminescence. Photoconductivity
and photovoltaic devices. Lasers and light emitting diodes.

FINAL EXAM - Tuesday December 8th, 4-7pm

Assessment: Grading will be determined by homework problems (30% of the grade), an in-class mid-term (30% of the grade), and a final exam (40% of the grade).

Homework will be assigned on Wednesdays after class, and will be due at the beginning of class the following Monday. You are encouraged to discuss the homework problems with your colleagues but the final write-up must be done on your own. Any groups turning in identical solution sets will share the available points. You are also encouraged to use other sources of information; any sources other than the text book, including internet sources, must be clearly acknowledged. To save your TAs from grading overload, late homework will not be accepted. However, your lowest homework score will be automatically discounted so you don't need to negotiate for an extension if you are sick, traveling or if your room-mate's dog eats your solutions (once).

There will also be an optional literature project that will be on-going throughout the quarter and which will be worth up to an additional 10% extra credit.

For the mid-term you may bring in one 8.5 by 11 page of notes with writing on one side. For the final you may have one 8.5 by 11 page of notes with writing on both sides.

Example Term Paper:

Here is the paper that I've chosen for my term paper, and here is my (on-going) analysis of it.

Week by Week:

Week 1. September 28 - October 2.

Reading Assignment: Callister Chapters 1 and 2

Here is The first discussion problem,

Here is Homework 1, due in class on Monday October 5th

Here are the solutions

Week 2. October 5 - 9.

Reading Assignment: Callister Chapter 3

Here is The second discussion problem,

Here is Homework 2, due in class on Monday October 12th