Module Code - Title:
ME6182
-
ENGINEERING ALLOYS
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
Aimed at postgraduate engineering students to increase our elective options. The module will cover established and new developments in the area of advanced high performance metallic materials used in general engineering, structures, power generation, and transportation.
Syllabus:
Brief introduction to the chronology of metallic materials and their significance and importance to technological development. The prominence of materials as an enabling technology will be emphasised. Examples of quantitative materials selection to determine materials performance indices for selected case study components - illustrated by selecting optimised materials for specific applications. Physical metallurgy and structure property relationships of low alloy and high alloy steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys, titanium alloys, nickel based alloys. Other niche alloy systems will be briefly mentioned including cobalt alloys, copper alloys, various aluminides, magnesium alloys, so called memory metals and metal matrix composites.
Selection and mechanical performance of these materials illustrated by using case studies. Future development trajectories of metallic materials and the competition from other material systems.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
1. Describe the most important physical and mechanical properties when selecting materials for explicitly defined applications (for example understand the importance of materials for energy generation).
2. Explain how and why monolithic metallic materials remain competitive when compared to other material systems including polymer composites, glasses and ceramics.
3. Be able to describe how various metallic materials are processed into useful components and structures, and the importance of microstructure on the prevailing mechanical properties.
4. Understand the advantages and limitations of different materials for different applications;
5. Understand issues related to sustainability and life cycle analysis
6. Be able to write a popular-science article about the importance of metallic materials.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
1. Co-operate with other members of small groups during laboratory assignments.
2. Appreciate societal issues of efficient use of resources during manufacturing of metallic components and structures.
3. Appreciate the importance of safety when exploiting materials with improved mechanical properties and the requirement for thorough testing and certification.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
Normal lectures and six aligned laboratory exercises. Recent advances in metallurgy and materials processing will be continuously updated and introduced. Research related to activity in the School of Engineering in steels, residual stress, biomedical device materials and additive manufacturing will be incorporated into the content.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Smallman, R. E.
Ngan, A.H.W. (2013)
Modern Physical Metallurgy
, Butterworth-Heinemann
F.Brian Pickering (1978)
Physical Metallurgy and the Design of Steels.(Yes it is old, but we have copies in the library and it is the BEST book about the subject by far
, Applied Science Publishers
Harry Bhadeshia
Robert Honeycombe (2017)
Steels: Microstructure and Properties
, Butterworth-Heinemann
I.J. Polmear
David StJohn
Jian-Feng Nie
Ma Qian
(2017)
Light Alloys: Metallurgy of the Light Metals
, Butterworth-Heinemann
Other Relevant Texts:
D.R.H.Jones
Michael F. Ashby (2018)
Engineering Materials 1: An Introduction to Properties, Applications and Design
, Elsevier
D.R.H.Jones
Michael F. Ashby (2012)
Engineering Materials 2: An Introduction to Microstructures and Processing
, Elsevier
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
MEAEENTFA - AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
MEMEENTFA - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
MSAEMATFA - ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
MSBDMATFA - BIOMEDICAL DEVICE MATERIALS
MSAEROTFA - AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
MSMEENTFA - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Spring
Module Leader:
Jeremy.Robinson@ul.ie