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11.6.8 DEPARTMENT OF
METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING (MTE)
Head: Professor Viola L. Acoff, Office:
116 Houser Hall
The department offers programs leading to the master of science in metallurgical
engineering degree and to the doctor of philosophy degree in the area of
materials/metallurgical engineering.
An interdisciplinary PhD degree in materials science is also offered (see
catalog Section 13.1
Interdisciplinary
Programs).
The graduate program in metallurgical and materials engineering allows
for close association between graduate students and the faculty.
Research
Research interests of the department include thermodynamics and
kinetics of molten metal processes, chemical metallurgy, metal-casting,
corrosion phenomena, computer modeling of solidification and other metallurgical
processes, electrodynamics of molten metals, metal matrix composites, thin-film
technology, tribology, magnetic materials, microgravity effects in
solidification, modeling microstructural evolution, and micromechanical behavior
in cast materials, fracture mechanics, refractories, molten salts, electronic
materials, thin films, and fuel cells, and phase equilibria. Facilities are
available for directional and high-speed solidification, levitation melting,
sputtering and chemical vapor-deposition, optical and electron microscopy, X-ray
diffraction, corrosion, nanoindentation, and electrochemistry, materials
characterization facilities, MEMS and thermal properties, and thermodynamic
properties. A metal-casting facility is equipped with up-to-date metal melting
and casting equipment and is one of the finest facilities in the United States
for teaching, research, and service to the metal-casting and processing
industry. Well-qualified machinists are available for construction of highly
specialized research equipment.
Computational facilities are comprehensive, ranging from workstations,
minicomputers, and PC units with associated data-acquisition peripherals to
access the campus mainframe equipment.
Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements are outlined in
the
Admission Criteria
section of this catalog.
Degree Requirements
Master
of Science
Plan I (thesis) is the standard MS degree plan. However, in exceptional cases, a
student who has the approval of his or her supervisory committee may follow Plan
II (non-thesis). A student who believes there are valid reasons for using Plan II must submit
a written request detailing these reasons to the department head no later than
midterm of the first semester in residence.
All graduate students, during the first part and the last part of their
programs, are required to satisfactorily complete MTE 595 Seminar (first
part) and MTE 596 Seminar (last part). This required credit is in
addition to the other degree requirements. Additional information is in the
Degree Requirements
section of this catalog.
Doctor of Philosophy
The program for the PhD in the area of
materials/metallurgical engineering is conducted jointly with The University of
Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). This arrangement permits sharing of facilities,
exchange of faculty, joint seminars, and a wide choice of dissertation advisors.
The PhD degree in the area of materials science is also offered, in
collaboration with UAB and The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Full details
of this program may be found in this catalog in section 13.1 (Interdisciplinary
Programs)
For additional
information, see the Graduate School's general
requirements for advanced degrees in the online
catalog (Sec.
4.11.3), and for
Interdisciplinary Programs, (Section
13.1)
Course Descriptions
MTE 519 Principles of Casting and Solidification
Processing. (3-0) Three hours.
Overview of the principles of solidification processing, the evolution of
solidification microstructure, segregation, and defects, and the use of
analytical and computational tools for the design, understanding, and use of
solidification processes.
MTE 520 Simulation of Casting Processes
(3-0) Three hours.
This course will cover the rationale and approach of numerical simulation
techniques, casting simulation and casting process design, and specifically the
prediction of solidification, mold filling, microstructure, shrinkage,
microporosity, distortion and hot tearing. Students will learn casting
simulation through lectures and hands-on laboratory/tutorial sessions.
MTE 539 Metallurgy of Welding. (3-0) Three
hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 380 or permission of the instructor.
Thermal, chemical, and mechanical aspects of welding using the fusion welding
process. The metallurgical aspects of welding, including microstructure and
properties of the weld, are also covered. Various topics on recent trends in
welding research.
MTE 542 Magnetic Recording Media. (3-0) Three
hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 271.
Basic ferromagnetism, preparation and properties of magnetic recording
materials, magnetic particles, thin magnetic films, soft and hard film media,
multilayered magnetoresistive media, and magneto-optical disk media.
MTE 546 Macroscopic Transport in Materials
Processing. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 353 or permission of the instructor.
Elements of laminar and turbulent flow; heat transfer by conduction, convection,
and radiation; and mass transfer in laminar and in turbulent flow; mathematical
modeling of transport phenomena in metallurgical systems including melting and
refining processes, solidification processes, packed bed systems, and fluidized
bed systems.
MTE 547 Intro to Comp Mat. Science (3-0) Three hours.
This course introduces
computational techniques for simulating materials. It covers principles of
quantum and statistical mechanics, modeling strategies and formulation of
various aspects of materials structure, and solution techniques with particular
reference to Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamic methods.
MTE 549
Powder Metallurgy. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 380 or permission of the instructor.
Describing the various types of powder processing and how these affect
properties of the components made. Current issues in the subject area from
high-production to nanomaterials will be discussed.
MTE 550 Plasma Processing of Thin Films: Basics
and Applications. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: By permission of instructor.
Fundamental physics and materials science of plasma processes for thin film
deposition and etch are covered. Topics include evaporation, sputtering (special
emphasis), ion beam deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and reactive ion
etching. Applications to semiconductor devices, displays, and data storage are
discussed.
MTE 556
Advanced Mechanical Behavior of Materials I: Strengthening Methods in Solids. (3-0)
Three hours. Same as
AEM 556.
Prerequisite: MTE 455 or permission of the instructor.
Topics include elementary elasticity, plasticity, and dislocation theory;
strengthening by dislocation substructure, and solid solution strengthening;
precipitation and dispersion strengthening; fiber reinforcement; martensitic
strengthening; grain-size strengthening; order hardening; dual phase
microstructures, etc.
MTE 562 Metallurgical Thermodynamics. (3-0)
Three hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 362 or permission of instructor.
Laws of thermodynamics, equilibria, chemical potentials and equilibria in
heterogeneous systems, activity functions, chemical reactions, phase diagrams,
and electrochemical equilibria; thermodynamic models and computations; and
application to metallurgical processes.
MTE 574 Phase Transformation in Solids. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisites: MTE 373 and or permission of the instructor.
Topics include applied thermodynamics, nucleation theory, diffusional growth,
and precipitation.
MTE 579 Advanced Physical Metallurgy. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Graduate-level treatments of the fundamentals of symmetry, crystallography,
crystal structures, defects in crystals (including dislocation theory), and
atomic diffusion.
MTE 583 Advanced Structure of Metals. (3-0)
Three hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
The use of X-ray analysis for the study of single crystals and deformation
texture of polycrystalline materials.
MTE 585 Materials at Elevated Temperatures.
(3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Influence of temperatures on behavior and properties of materials.
MTE 587 Corrosion Science and Engineering. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 271 and either CH 102 or permission of the instructor.
Fundamental causes of corrosion problems and failures. Emphasis is placed on
tools and knowledge necessary for predicting corrosion, measuring corrosion
rates, and combining this with prevention and materials selection.
MTE 591:592 Special Problems (Area). One to
three hours.
Advanced work of an investigative nature. Credit awarded is based on the work
accomplished.
MTE 595:596 Seminar. (1-0) One hour.
Discussion of current advances and research in metallurgical engineering;
presented by graduate students and the staff.
MTE 598 Research Not Related to Thesis. One
to six hours.
MTE 599 Master's Thesis Research. One to
twelve hours. Pass/fail.
MTE 622
Solidification Processes and Microstructures (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 519
This course will cover the fundamentals of microstructure
formation and microstructure control during the solidification of alloys and
composites.
MTE 643 Magnetic Recording.
(3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: ECE 341 or MTE 271.
Static magnetic fields; inductive head fields; playback process in recording;
recording process; recording noise; and MR heads.
MTE 644 Optical Data Storage. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: ECE 341 or MTE 271.
Characteristics of optical disk systems; read-only (CD-ROM) systems; write-once
(WORM) disks; erasable disks; M-O recording materials; optical heads; laser
diodes; focus and tracking servos; and signal channels.
MTE 655 Electron Microscopy of Materials. (3-3) Four hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 481 or permission of the instructor.
Topics include basic principles of operation of the transmission electron
microscope, principles of electron diffraction, image interpretation, and
various analytical electron-microscopy techniques as they apply to crystalline
materials.
MTE 670 Scanning Electron Microscopy. (2-3)
Three hours
Theory, construction, and operation of the scanning electron microscope. Both
imaging and x-ray spectroscopy are covered. Emphasis is placed on application
and uses in metallurgical engineering and materials-related fields.
MTE 680 Advanced Phase Diagrams. (3-0) Three
hours.
Prerequisite: MTE 362 or permission of the instructor.
Advanced phase studies of binary, ternary, and more complex systems;
experimental methods of construction and interpretation.
MTE 684 Fundamentals of Solid State Engineering. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: Modern physics, physics with calculus, or by permission of the
instructor.
Fundamentals of solid state physics and quantum mechanics are covered to explain
the physical principles underlying the design and operation of semiconductor
devices. The second part covers applications to semiconductor microdevices and
nanodevices such as diodes, transistors, lasers, and photodetectors
incorporating quantum structures.
MTE 685 Materials at Elevated Temperatures. (3-0) Three hours.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Influence of temperature on behavior and properties of materials.
MTE 691:692 Special Problems (Area). One to
six hours.
Credit awarded is based on the amount of work undertaken.
MTE 693 Selected Topics (Area). One to six
hours.
Topics of current research in thermodynamics of melts, phase equilibra, computer
modeling of solidification, electrodynamics of molten metals, corrosion
phenomena, microstructural evolution, and specialized alloy systems,
nanomaterials, fuel cells, and composite materials.
MTE 694 Special Project. One to six hours.
Proposing, planning, executing, and presenting the results of an individual
project.
MTE 695:696
Seminar. (1-0)
One hour.
Presentations on dissertation-related research or on items of current interest
in materials and metallurgical engineering.
MTE 698 Research Not Related to Dissertation. One to
six hours.
MTE 699 Doctoral Dissertation Research. Three to twelve hours. Pass/Fail.
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