BSc Materials Science and Engineering

The unit reviews the functional properties of materials and explains how they arise in terms of the underlying structure-property relationships. The specific topics to be addressed include the following:

• Dielectrics: mechanisms of electric polarisation in static and alternating electric fields, dielectric loss; applications in capacitors and insulators.
• Electronic conductors and semiconductors; applications in thermistors and thermoelectrics.
• Magnetic properties: definition of diamagnetic, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic behaviour; ferromagnetic domains and hysteresis; applications in electromagnets, permanent magnets and inductors.
• Functional materials with non-centrosymmetric lattices: definition of ferroelectricity; phase transformations, domains and hysteresis; applications in piezoelectric and pyroelectric transducers. Thermoelectrics.
• Semiconductor-photon interactions; applications in solar cells.
• Mechanisms of electrical and thermal conduction.
• Size effects: surface vs bulk energy, nano-materials and their properties.

The unit aims to:

• Provide an overview of the dielectric, ferroelectric, thermoelectric, magnetic, optical, semiconducting and thermal properties of materials. 
• Introduce the principles underlying the exploitation of functional materials in practical devices.  
• Explain the influence of size effects on functional properties.

A greater depth of the learning outcomes will be covered in the following sections:

• Knowledge and understanding
• Intellectual skills
• Practical skills
• Transferable skills and personal qualities

• Learn to compare and discuss the functional behaviour of different types of materials.
• Explain how different types of functional properties can be measured.
• Obtain an understanding of the mechanisms that give rise to the different types of functional behaviour.
• Explain the relationships between structure and functional properties in a wide range of materials.
• Describe the factors that influence the behaviour of a material as its size is reduced.
• Discuss how specific combinations of structural and functional properties are exploited to produce practical devices.

• Achieve the ability to select appropriate functional materials for specific device applications.
• Gain an understanding of the effect of changing the chemical composition and structure of a material on its functional properties.

Understand the practical aspects related to the measurement of fundamental magnetic, dielectric and semiconducting properties.

Understand the practical aspects related to the assessment of the performance of solar cells.

• Convert real application examples into equations and numerical answers.
• Develop techniques for estimating the results from calculations.
• Work effectively in a group to solve problems.
• Compose simple technical reports based on laboratory tests or model data.

Feedback given (wriiten)

The recommended reading for this unit can be found on the online unit reading list.

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2027 will be £10,050 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £41,900 per annum.

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