Materials for energy and sustainability

The key engineering challenge in the 21st century and beyond is the efficient use of energy and the Earth's resources. Energy supply drives our daily life, and there exist challenges in all of clean energy, renewable energy, energy transmission, energy storage, light materials, and energy-efficient manufacturing. In addition, the physical infrastructure on which our daily lives depend requires the sustainable use of the finite resources at our disposal. All of these issues are Materials Engineering issues.

In this unit, the fundamentals of the structure, design, and application of materials are covered. Attributes such as modulus, strength, toughness, chemical stability, electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties are explained in terms of atomic bonding, crystal defects and polycrystalline microstructure - and how this relates to end users.

A particular focus will be given to "processing-structure-property" relationships, which is at the core of Materials Engineering, with the subjects' concepts elaborated in the context of materials for the efficient use of energy and other resources. Examples will include aerospace materials and functional materials, amongst others.