Subjects

MANDATORY COURSES

Crystallography and X-ray Diffraction - 4 credits

Generation, absorption and detection of X-rays. Crystallography. Reciprocal lattice. Point groups and space groups. X-ray diffraction. Methods of X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffractometers. Applications of X-ray diffraction. Texture analysis. Direct and inverse pole figures. Rietveld refinement. Stress analysis.

Experimental Methods in Materials Science - 4 credits

Mechanical testing. X-ray diffraction. Microscopy. Spectroscopy.

Materials Science - 6 credits

Atomic structure. Atomic bonds. States of matter. Crystal structures. Crystal directions and planes. Miller indices. Crystalline, molecular and amorphous solids. Imperfections in crystalline solids. Microstructures. Diffusion. Properties of materials. Mechanisms that change the mechanical strength and the microstructure. Fracture. Fatigue. Creep. Phase diagram. Solid state phase transformations. Ceramic materials. Polymeric materials. Composite materials.

Materials Testing - 4 credits

Introduction to materials testing. Tensile testing. Compression testing. Hardness testing. Torsion testing. Flexion testing. Creep testing. Fatigue testing. Impact testing. Fracture toughness testing. Product testing. Nondestructive testing.

Mechanical Behavior of Materials I - 4 credits

Elasticity. Theories of plasticity. Mechanical aspects of fracture. Perfect crystals and defects. Geometric aspects of dislocations. Mechanical aspects of dislocations. Interactions and dislocation sources. Surface defects.

Microstructural Engineering - 4 credits

Phase diagrams. Diffusion. Interfaces. Diffusional transformations. Recovery, recrystallization and grain growth. Diffusionless transformations.

Seminar - 0 credit

Talks by students and professors about current research topics.

Thermodynamics of materials - 4 credits

Free energy of heterogeneous reactions, solutions, quasi-chemical theory, phase equilibrium, binary systems, thermodynamics of interfaces, introduction to crystal defects, defects in the elementary crystals. Metals and semiconductors, defects in composites, numerical methods applied to thermodynamics.

INTRODUCTORY COURSES

Foundations of Materials Science - 4 credits 

Introduction. Structure of materials. Measurement of mechanical properties. Metals. Polymers. Ceramics and carbon-based materials. Composites. Optical and electrical materials. Biomaterials and biological materials.

Foundations of Thermodynamics - 2 credits

Review of the main concepts of thermodynamics. Statistical definition of entropy. Heterogeneous reactions. Solutions. Quasi-chemical theory. Phase equilibrium. Binary systems. Thermodynamics of interfaces. Introduction to the study of defects in simple and complex crystals.

Mathematics Applied to Materials Science - 4 credits

Sets. Numerical sets. Notions of analytical geometry. Relations. Functions. Trigonometry. Derivative. Indefinite integral. Definite integral. Ordinary differential equations. Partial differential equations.

OPTIONAL COURSES

Biomaterials - 4 credits

Concepts of biomaterials and biocompatibility. Interaction and adhesion of cells on the surface of biomaterials. Proteins involved in the adhesion of cells to biomaterials. Concepts of osseointegration. Corrosion of metal alloys and stainless steels. Cr-Co alloys. Ti and Ti alloys used as biomaterials. Shape memory alloys. Absorbable polymeric materials. Technical standards of interest to specify biomaterials. Classification of bioceramics according to their bioactivity. Inert bioceramics. First, second and third generation bioceramics. History of bioactivity. Bioglasses and vitroceramics. Calcium phosphates. Porous bioceramics. Polymeric bioceramics. Metal, polymer and ceramic matrix composites. Synthesis and processing of bioceramics. Techniques for characterization of bioceramics. In vitro and in vivo testing.

Ceramic Processing - 4 credits

Introduction to ceramic processing. Influence of chemical bonds on ceramic properties. Glass properties. Characterization of ceramic powders. Processing additives. Production of ceramic bodies. Conformation techniques. Slip casting. Pressing. Sintering. Mechanical properties of ceramics.

Characterization of Thin Films - 4 credits

Measurement of thin film thickness. Electric characterization of thin films. Structure and morphology of thin films. Optical characterization of thin films. Surface analysis.

Composite Materials Reinforced with Natural Fibers - 3 credits

Introduction. General aspects of fiber-reinforced composites. Lignocellulosic natural fibers (LNFs). Different kinds of LNFs. Properties and structure of LNFs. Surface modification of LNFs. Processing and array of LNFs. Polymeric composites reinforced with LNFs (CLNFs). Properties of CLNFs. Applications of CLNFs.

Design of Experiments - 2 credits

Notions of statistics for experimental design. Hypothesis testing. Randomized block experiments with fixed and random effects. Factorial experiments. Data analysis. Optimization methods for experimental design. Validity conditions for application of statistical theory to experimental data. Case studies.

Dynamic Behavior of Materials I - 4 credits

Dynamic deformation and waves. Elastic waves. Plastic waves. Shock waves. Shock wave equation of state. Differential form of the conversation equations and numerical solutions of problems. Shock wave attenuation, interaction, and reflection. Phase transformations and chemical reactions induced by shock waves. Explosive-material interactions. Detonation.

Dynamic Behavior of Materials II - 4 credits

Dynamic events. Dynamic deformation methods. Plastic deformation at high deformation rates. Plastic deformation in shock waves. Dynamic fracture.

Martensitic Transformations - 4 credits

Introduction to martensitic transformation: general aspects, crystallography, thermodynamics and transformation temperature. Non-thermoelastic and thermoelastic martensitic transformations. Thermally induced and deformation induced transformations. TRIP and TWIP alloys and their characteristics. Shape memory and superelastic alloys and their characteristics. The main characterization methods: metallographic analysis (optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy), X-ray diffraction, tension/compression tests, conventional hardness tests, instrumented nanoindentation tests, differential scanning calorimetry, electric resistivity and dilatometry.

Mechanical Behavior of Materials II - 4 credits

Strengthening mechanisms. Effect of substructure and internal interfaces. Precipitation and dispersion strengthening. Fiber reinforcement. Fatigue and fracture mechanisms. Creep in metals.

Mechanical Behavior of Polymers - 4 credits

Basic concepts of polymers. Structure-mechanical properties relations. Mechanical behavior: behavior under slow loading (tension, compression and shear). Behavior under dynamic loading (impact, free fall and stress). Behavior under fatigue. Behavior under creep. Fracture mechanics. Polymer fracture and fractography: fracture classification. Ductile fracture and brittle fracture. Fracture in composites. Fracture in aggressive environments. Physicochemical characterization of polymers.

Metallic biomaterials - 4 credits

Classification of biomaterials. Physical and mechanical properties of biomaterials. Metallic biomaterials: corrosion of implants and metallic components. Implant failure. Bioceramics. Biopolymers. Adhesives. Implant coatings. Dental materials. Corrosion of dental alloys. Friction and wear of dental materials. Interactions of cells with surfaces. Dental implants: osseointegration, types e manufacturing. Shape memory alloys. Standards of biomaterials.

Operation of the Scanning Electron Microscope - 1 credit

Description of SEM components. Basic alignments. Methods to improve image quality. Control of the main variables: voltage, spot size, working distance. Low vacuum operation. Introduction to EDS. Basic maintenance. Filament replacement.

Operation of the Transmission Electron Microscope - 1 credit

Electron-matter interaction. Electron detectors. Scanning electron microscope (SEM). EDS. EBSD. Low vacuum/Environmental SEM. Photoluminescence. Transmission electron microscope. Electron diffraction. Bright field and dark field images. Kikuchi lines. EELS. Applications in microelectronics.

Osseointegrable Implants - 4 credits

Osseointegration. Bone quality. Biocompatibility. Tissue response and implant interface. Dimensional accuracy of implants. Shape of commercial implants. Cleaning and sterilization of implants. Interactions between cells and titanium surfaces. Implant-organism interaction. Implant surfaces. Risk factors. Biomechanics. Complications and failure analysis. Finite element simulations. Immediate load. Implant-supported prostheses.

Physical Metallurgy of Steels - 4 credits

Iron and its interstitial solid solutions. Strengthening of iron and steels. Kinetics of austenite transformation. Effect of alloying elements on iron-carbon alloys. Martensite formation. Bainitic transformation. Thermal treatment of steels. Martensite tempering. Thermomechanical treatment of steels. Fragilization of steels.

Polymer Science and Technology I - 4 credits

Fundamental concepts. Classification. Polymerization. Structure and properties. Processing. Characterization techniques.

Polymer Science and Technology II - 4 credits

Introduction to polymers. Mechanical behavior of polymers. Physicochemical characterization of polymers. Environmental effects on polymers. Composites of polymeric matrix.

Properties and Applications of Silicon Carbide - 2 credits

Ceramic processing and ceramic products. History of silicon carbide (SiC): innovations, technological importance and perspectives. Phase diagram, polytipism and crystal structure. Production routes of SiC powder (carbothermic reduction, gaseous phase synthesis and SHS). Production route of SiC fibers (polymer conversion). Production route of SiC films (CVD). Powder characterization. SiC processing. Mechanical properties of SiC.

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoparticles - 4 credits

Introduction. General aspects of nanoparticles. Nanomaterial synthesis methods. Solution combustion synthesis (SCS). Synthesis of nanoparticles by the sol-gel method. Synthesis of nanoparticles by coprecipitation. The main characterization techniques.

Texture and Properties of the Materials - 4 credits

The concept of crystallographic texture. Methods to represent texture: direct pole figure, inverse pole figure, orientation distribution function. Introduction to Euler space. Texture measurement by X-ray diffraction and by SEM/EBSD. Correlation between thermomecanical processing and texture development. Correlation between texture and properties. Some applications: hot and cold lamination textures, deep drawing texture, electric steels and zirconium alloy tubes.

Thin Film Microelectronics - 4 credits

Vacuum technology. Vacuum thin film deposition. Film nucleation and growth. Substrates. Thin film printing. Electric transport phenomena. Measurements of resistivity and Hall effect.