Handbook

This course introduces the fundamentals of Materials Science and Chemistry used in engineering. The different classes of materials used in engineering designs are introduced, and their basic structural, mechanical and functional properties are defined, and the mechanical properties are measured in laboratory activities. The relationships between a material’s underlying structure and its properties are explored. The ways in which materials fail within engineering settings are identified.

The chemistry part of the course builds on an elementary knowledge of chemistry (equivalent to one year of high school chemistry, such as Year 11 chemistry, or CHEM1001 at UNSW) to explore the structure of atoms leading to an understanding of the properties of materials at an atomic and molecular level. This knowledge is applied to understanding chemical bonding and intermolecular forces which determine the engineering properties of materials. General principles of chemical equilibrium are developed and applied to chemical reactions involving acids and bases and organic molecules to understand the reaction materials can undergo.

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories and tutorials split between the two disciplines: Materials Science and Engineering and Chemistry. This course is intended for engineering students to take early in their programs.