1 The Graduate Core

1.1 MAT_SCI 401: Chemical & Statistical Thermodynamics

Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to introduce the principles of statistical thermodynamics and to demonstrate how it provides quantitative understanding of a broad range of phenomena in materials science, including phase equilibria, the behavior of solutions and mixtures, kinetics, etc. The course provides a important foundation for subsequent courses in Materials Science and Engineering as well as future research in a wide range of areas. The following topics in classical thermodynamics will be covered:

  1. The laws of thermodynamics; conditions for equilibrium (ref: Topic401-1)
  2. Solutions (ref: Topic401-2)
  3. Excess quantities (ref: Topic401-3)
  4. Binary and ternary phase diagrams (ref: Topic401-4)
  5. Statistical definition of entropy (ref: Topic401-5)
  6. Ensembles and the Boltzmann and Gibbs distributions (ref: Topic401-6)
  7. Quantum and classical ideal gasses (ref: Topic401-7)
  8. The regular solution model (ref: Topic401-8)

Textbook

  • (Dill and Bromberg 2012)

1.2 MAT_SCI 402: Structure of Crystalline and Non-crystalline Materials

Course Description

This course centers on the methods of describing both crystalline and non-crystalline materials, as well as addresses the underlying relationships of materials and their structures. Symmetry principles and tensor representations of crystal properties will be used to describe, for example, transport behavior, elasticity, displacement phase transitions, and material anisotropy. Topics in non-crystalline solids include theories and models of amorphousness, as well as influence of ordering in hard and soft condensed matter systems such as glasses and polymers.

  1. Symmetry Principles, Point, Plane, and Space Groups (ref: Topic402-1)
  2. Crystallographic Descriptors and Structure (ref: Topic402-2)
  3. Material Anisotropy (ref: Topic402-3)
  4. Displacive Phase Transitions (ref: Topic402-4)
  5. Tensors and Constitutive Relations (ref: Topic402-5)
  6. Sphere Packing and Non-crystalline Solids (ref: Topic402-6)
  7. Polymer Chemistry and Architecture (ref: Topic402-7)
  8. Molecular Order in Soft Condensed Matter (ref: Topic402-8)

Main Texts:

  • (Nye and others 1985)
  • (De Graef and McHenry 2012)
  • (Jones et al. 2002)

1.3 MAT_SCI 404: Imperfections in Materials

Course Description:

A graduate course in defects and imperfections in crystalline material, with special emphasis on dislocations and mechanical behavior of metals.

  1. Point Defect Mechanics
  2. Point Defect Thermodynamics
  3. Point Defect Equilibrium
  4. Point Defect Kinetics
  5. Dislocation Geometry
  6. Dislocation Mechanics
  7. Dislocation Interactions and Applications
  8. Partial and Extended Dislocations
  9. Dislocation Core Structure
  10. Grain Boundary Geometry
  11. Grain Boundary Mechanics

Main Texts:

  • (Cai and Nix 2016)
  • (Hull and Bacon 2011)

Supplementary Texts:

  • (Shewmon 2016)
  • (Glicksman 2000)
  • (Weertman and Weertman 1964)
  • (Hirth and Lothe 1982)

1.4 MAT_SCI 405: Physics of Solids

Course Description:

This course provides an overview of solid state physics. Topics include:

  1. Free electron theory
  2. Phonons
  3. Energy bands
  4. Charge transport
  5. Semiconductors
  6. Optical properties
  7. Dielectric properties
  8. Ferroelectrics
  9. Diagmagnetism
  10. Paramagnetism
  11. Magnetic ordering

Textbooks:

  • (???)
  • (Kittel 2005)

Prerequisites:

  • Students should have a MAT_SCI 351-1 and MAT_SCI 351-2 or equivalent background in introductory quantum mechanics and solid-state physics.

  • Approach the instructor with questions if you are unsure about your background.

1.5 MAT_SCI 406: Symmetry and Mechanical Properties of Materials

Course Description:

The relation between symmetry of structure and symmetry of properties is emphasized. The following topics will be covered:

  1. Stress, strain, and linear elasticity
  2. Effect of defects on deformation mechanisms, modeling of dislocation motion
  3. Plastic deformation at low temperature and strengthening mechanisms
  4. Plastic deformation at high temperature, and creep resistance mechanisms
  5. Fracture under monotonic loading and toughening mechanisms
  6. Fracture under cyclical stresses and fatigue resistance approach
  7. Environmental effects on fracture modes
  8. Introduction to Finite Elements

Textbooks:

1.6 MAT_SCI 408: Phase Transformations in Materials

1.6.1 Course Description: {#course-description .unnumbered]

This course will cover a variety of topics associated with the thermodynamics and kinetics of phase transformations in materials. Topics to be covered include:

  1. Thermodynamics of interfaces, capillarity, and homogenous nucleation
  2. Dynamics of nucleation, heterogenous nucleation
  3. Composition gradients and free energy
  4. Interfacial energy of diffuse interfaces
  5. Diffusion and the diffusion equations
  6. The Cahn-Hilliard equation and spinodal decomposition
  7. Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov theory
  8. Similarity solution for particle growth by diffusion
  9. Coarsening/Ostwald ripening
  10. Order parameters: conserved and unconserved

Main Texts:

Supplementary Texts:

  • (Balluffi, Allen, and Carter 2005)
  • (Porter and Easterling 2009)

References

Balluffi, Robert W, Samuel M Allen, and W Craig Carter. 2005. Kinetics of Materials. John Wiley & Sons.

Cai, Wei, and William D Nix. 2016. Imperfections in Crystalline Solids. Cambridge University Press.

Courtney, Thomas H. 2005. Mechanical Behavior of Materials. Waveland Press.

De Graef, Marc, and Michael E McHenry. 2012. Structure of Materials: An Introduction to Crystallography, Diffraction and Symmetry. Cambridge University Press.

Dill, Ken, and Sarina Bromberg. 2012. Molecular Driving Forces: Statistical Thermodynamics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Nanoscience. Garland Science.

Glicksman, ME. 2000. Diffusion in Solids: Field Theory, Solid-State Principles, and Applications. John Wiley & Sons.

Hirth, JP, and J Lothe. 1982. Theory of Dislocations. John Wiley & Sons.

Hoyt, Jeffrey J. 2011. Phase Transformations. McMaster University Bookstore.

Hull, Derek, and David J Bacon. 2011. Introduction to Dislocations. Vol. 37. Elsevier.

Jones, Richard Anthony Lewis, R Jones, Richard AL Jones, and others. 2002. Soft Condensed Matter. Vol. 6. Oxford University Press.

Kittel, C. 2005. Introduction to Solid State Physics. John Willey & Sons Inc.

Nye, John Frederick, and others. 1985. Physical Properties of Crystals: Their Representation by Tensors and Matrices. Oxford University Press.

Porter, David A, and Kenneth E Easterling. 2009. Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys. CRC press.

Shewmon, Paul. 2016. Diffusion in Solids. Springer.

Weertman, J, and JR Weertman. 1964. Elementary Dislocation Theory. New York: Macmillan. Pub.