MAT E 202 Materials Science II
Fall 2025, Section A2
Instructor: Zhi Li, Associate Professor, CME
~10 km/hour, for 4.5 hours
Rona trailer
My summer project
Biking, fishing, camping, without being too bulky.
About me
desodiation
200 nm
final
desodiated
200 nm
40
Class information
• Lecture: In-person lectures
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00-10:50
• Text and References
• e-Text via eClass (Mandatory)
• Material Science and Engineering An Introduction. W.D. Callister (Recommended)
• Office hour: Wednesday, 1:30-2:30 pm
• Head TA: Aakash Kumar (aakash1@ualberta.ca)
Marking Scheme
Time confliction?
Homework (eClass)
• Due promptly by 5:00PM on the specified due date (NO LATE HOMEWORK!).
• Problem sets will be done in groups (of 3 or 4 people only).
A1: Sept 15
• Permanent for the semester (find the suitable teammate)
• Form team in Canvas
• Consider as professional training
A2:Oct 6
A3: Oct 27
A4: Nov 17
A5: Dec 8
• Group Member names in Alphabetical listing (according to the last name).
• File naming: LastName1-LastName2-LastName3.
• One team, one submission!
• It is up to all group members to review the graded assignment and ensure there
are no grading errors.
• Any changes to homework grades will be allowed up until the due date of the
following assignment.
Course content
Topics (subject to change)
# of lec
Topics (subject to change)
# of lec
1. Introduction
1
7. Diffusion – solid state
1.5
2. Mechanical Properties
4
8. Plastic Deformation and Strengthening
2.5
3. Thermal Properties
1.5
9. Annealing
1
4. Electrical Properties
0.5
10. Phase Diagrams
2.5
5. Failure
4
11. Non-equilibrium Phase Transformations
4
6. Structure of Materials
4
12. Corrosion
3
13. Polymers
3
14. Ceramics
2
15. Composites
1
Midterm exam (Oct 17)
Learning Outcomes
• Recall terminologies and magnitudes of constants, fundamental to the field of Materials Science, and
demonstrate their knowledge through proper usage.
• Describe different types of bonding, classify materials, and relate the mechanical, thermal, electronic and
chemical properties of materials to their atomic, molecular, and crystal structures.
• Relate materials' elastic-plastic deformation to applied stress, understand the behavior of common defects,
and steps to strengthen materials by controlling defects
• Describe various processing of metals, alloys, and choose pertinent processes for desired characteristics, using
the concepts of diffusion, microstructure, and phase transformation.
• Predict microstructure and properties of materials based on phase diagrams/phase transformations, and
design processing of materials, including heat treatment processes, using the knowledge of TTT and CCT
curves.
• Inspect, analyze, and diagnose corrosion-related problems, and resolve them through recommending
proactive and preventive measures.
• Describe the basics of polymers and ceramics, and identify the structure-property relation of polymeric and
ceramic products in engineering.
• Be familiar with laboratory methods for measuring mechanical properties, microstructure, heat treatment of
steels, and corrosion.
The way to teach and learn
• In person lecture + recordings
• For students seeking for A:
• Lectures + example question in class + homework + e-Text + textbook
• Please ask questions in class
• For students seeking a safe pass and having no time to go to the
classroom:
• Recorded lectures + Homework
Chapter 1: Introduction
Material classification and bonding
Instructor: Zhi Li
• Human Civilizations have been designated by materials
• Materials influence our everyday lives, e.g., clothing, communication,
housing, recreation, transportation, and food production.
Strone
Bronze
Iron
Silicon
Nano
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Investigating the relation between structure and properties
Structure
Relation
Properties
Subatomic (nuclei and electron)
Mechanical properties
Atomic (atoms to molecular or crystal)
Electrical properties
Nanoscale (atoms to particles <100nm)
Thermal properties
Microscale (100nm – several mm)
Magnetic properties
Macrostructure (observable by naked eye)
Optical properties
Deteriorative characteristics
• Material Paradigm
• Processing: a procedure to
achieve the desired structure.
Bonding, crystalline
composite, metal,
polymer, ceramic
Strengthening
Phase diagram,
transformations
Mechanical
Thermal
Electrical
Failure
Corrosion
Recyclability
• Performance: a combination of
properties, economics and
environmental consideration.
• Recyclability: recently added to
the revised paradigm for
environmental consideration.
• Classification of Solid Materials
Solid
Materials
Chemical makeup
and atomic structure
Metals
Ceramic
Polymers
• Classification of Solid Materials: Metals
• Composed of one or more metallic
elements and small amount of nonmetallic elements
• Packed in a highly ordered manner
• Stiff, strong, ductile and resistant to
fracture
• Large amount of non-localized
electrons: excellent electrical and
thermal conductivities
• Classification of Solid Materials: Ceramic
• Compounds between metallic and
nonmetallic elements (oxides,
nitrides and carbides)
• Stiff and strong
• Brittleness (lack of ductility)
• Highly susceptible to fracture.
• Insulative to the passage of heat
and electricity.
• Classification of Solid Materials: Polymer
• Organic compounds based on C, H
and other nonmetallic elements (O,
N, and Si)
• Chain-like carbon backbone
• Low density, soft and not strong
• Decent mechanical strength “per
mass”
• Ductile and pliable
• Low conductivities
• Classification of Solid Materials: Composites
• Composed of at least 2
individual materials (metal,
ceramic and polymer)
• A combination of properties
that not exist in individual
materials
• Fiberglass-reinforced
materials
• Carbon fiber-reinforced
polymers (CFRP)
• Atomic Model (CHEM 105)
Name
Meaning
Range of
values
Value examples
Principal
quantum
number (n)
shell
1≤n
n = 1, 2, 3, …
Azimuthal
quantum
number (ℓ )
subshell
0≤ℓ≤n−
1
for n = 3:
ℓ = 0, 1, 2 (s, p, d)
Magnetic
quantum
number (mℓ)
Orbital
(orientation
of the
orbital)
−ℓ ≤ mℓ ≤ ℓ
for ℓ = 2:
mℓ = −2, −1, 0, 1, 2
−s ≤ ms ≤ s
for an electron s = 1/2,
so ms = −1/2, +1/2
Spin quantum spin of the
number (ms) electron
Quantized energy level (orbits)
• Electron Configuration (CHEM 105)
• Electron state: value of energy that are
permitted for electron.
• Pauli exclusion principle: maximal 2
electrons in one electron state; opposite
spins
• Ground state: all the electrons occupy
the lowest energies
• Electron structure: how the electron
states are occupied
• Valence electron: the electrons occupy
the outermost shell
NUMBER
ELEMENT
ELECTRON CONFIGURATION
1
Hydrogen
1s1
2
Helium
1s2
3
Lithium
[He]2s1
4
Beryllium
[He]2s2
5
Boron
[He]2s22p1
6
Carbon
[He]2s22p2
7
Nitrogen
[He]2s22p3
8
Oxygen
[He]2s22p4
9
Fluorine
[He]2s22p5
10
Neon
[He]2s22p6
11
Sodium
[Ne]3s1
12
Magnesium
[Ne]3s2
13
Aluminum
[Ne]3s23p1
14
Silicon
[Ne]3s23p2
15
Phosphorus
[Ne]3s23p3
• Electron Negativity
• Electron negativity: ability to accept electron and form negatively charged
ions (anions).
• Bonding forces and energy
• Net force: sum of both attractive and
repulsive forces (FN=FA+FR).
• Equilibrium bond separation
distance: ro, when FN=0
• Bonding energy: Eo, when FN=0, the
energy required to separate the two
atoms to an infinite separation.
• Could be used to determine elastic
modulus, bond stiffness, CTE, Tm.
• Energy bond curve
• Theoretical bond strength: Fo,
the maximum net force.
• Maximum bond length: rmax, at
the maximum net force.
• Bonding stiffness: So, the slope
of F(r) or the curvature of U(r)
when r= ro.
• Energy bond curve
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion (CTE).
• Large Eo leads to small CTE.
• Deep narrow well leads to
small CTE.
• Energy bond curve
• Melting point: fill some of
the potential well to U(rmax)
• Boiling point: fill the well to
zero energy
• Deep narrow well leads to
high TMP, high stiffness, high
Young’s modulus, and low
CPE.
• Interatomic Bonding in Solids
Primary bond
Secondary bond
Involving valence electrons
Ionic
Coulombic
force
Covalent
Via shared
electrons
Atomic or molecular dipoles
Metallic
Glued by
electron clouds
London
Instantaneous
induced dipoleinduced dipole
Debye
Keesom
Dipole-induced
dipole
(polarization)
Permanent
dipole-dipole
(H-bonding)
• Primary bond: ionic bond
• Large electronegativity difference
• Percentage of ionic character:
%IC={1-exp[-0.25(XA-XB)2]} X 100
• Inert gas configuration via e transfer
• Connected via coulombic forces
• Electrons are tightly bound
• Non-directional, strong and brittle
• Primary bond: Covalent bond
• Comparable electronegativity
• Shared electrons
• Strong and directional
• Shared electrons are fixed
• Strong and brittle
• Directional
• Primary bond: Metallic bond
• “Sea of electrons” : delocalized valence
electrons
• Ion cores: remaining non-valence
electrons and nuclei
• Non-directional
• Strong and ductile
• Excellent electrical and thermal
conductivity
• Secondary bond (van der Waals bonds)
• Arising form atomic or
molecular dipoles
• Polar molecular: permanent
dipoles
• Nonpolar molecular:
instantaneous dipoles
• Existing between all atoms and
molecular
• Coulombic attraction
• Much weaker than primary
bonds
• Fluctuating induced instantaneous
dipole bond between nonpolar
molecular (London dispersion force)
• Polar molecular induced dipole on
nonpolar molecular (Debye forces)
• Between two polar molecular (Keesom
forces, hydrogen bonds)
• Bonding summary
0
