The montage above represents the field of materials science and engineering. It all begins with some component of the Earth, organic or inorganic, which can be reduced to create materials useful to civilization. A piece of iron sulfide (pyrite) is shown in the center of the montage. This `ore' can be ground, roasted to drive-off the sulfur, and then liquefied to make cast iron, steel or wrought iron. After a metal or alloy is cast, it can be formed into a variety of shapes by bending, stretching and rolling. Often, the bending stretching or rolling is done when the material is heated. The structure of the blade of a fine Damascus sword, shown in the upper right of the montage, is determined by the forming history, and is a clue to the materials engineer as to how a certain material may perform in service. Whether it is a jet engine, a micro-electronic package, or an artificial hip, the structure, properties and processing of the materials used are crucial to successful performance. This is the realm of the materials scientist, the realm of the materials engineer.
Very few people know of the field called Materials Engineering. On this web page, I invite you to explore some industrial sites on the Internet that will give you a sense of what materials engineering is all about. Simply choose a topic below which tweaks your interest. Link directly to the represented site to further explore your interests. I hope to convey to you a sense of what a career in materials engineering is all about through this tour of selected gif's and jpeg's.
Opportunities
Metals
and Alloys
Alternative Processing Methods
Ceramics
Polymers
Composites
Semiconductors
The Transistor
Biomaterials
Materials
Characterization
Materials Characterization, Page 2: Scanning Probe Microscopy
Materials Characterization, Page 3: Non-Destructive Testing
Concept
of Structure
Failure
Analysis
Return to the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department home page at San Jose State University.
Please send any comments to Patrick
P. Pizzo , Professor Emeritus of Materials Engineering.
Created by Dr. Pizzo on August 1, 1997.
Last Revision by Dr. Pizzo, January 22, 2008