In this blog post, we will look at how materials engineering has played a key role in the development of industry and civilization, covering various fields such as metals, polymers, and ceramics.
The name of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is unfamiliar to most people. The most common questions that freshmen in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering hear on Lunar New Year’s Day are “What is your department called?” and “What is this fried food made of?” The name of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is quite unfamiliar. Of course, ingredients are also ingredients, but it is impossible for a new student who has just enrolled to know the ingredients, and it is far from the field actually covered by materials engineering.
The Department of Materials Engineering is a major that was created by combining several majors, including inorganic engineering, metallurgical engineering, and polymer engineering. This is probably why it is sometimes called the “Department” of materials engineering and sometimes called the “Division” of materials engineering, although it is not clear. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering can be broadly divided into three fields: metals, polymers, and ceramics. As the name suggests, metals study metals such as steel, polymers study the synthesis process and methods of polymers, and ceramics study ionic compounds.
Although the three fields above appear to be different, they all have in common that they study materials that exist in their natural state and research ways to improve their performance. In other words, there is no difference between materials engineering and other engineering fields in that they both improve existing things and apply them to new things. For example, in the metal field, researchers study new alloy ratios to increase the durability of steel or develop materials that do not deform even in high-temperature environments. In the polymer field, various studies are conducted, such as increasing the strength of plastics and developing eco-friendly biodegradable polymers. In the field of ceramics, research is being conducted to develop ceramic materials that can withstand high temperatures and be used in the aerospace industry.
However, the difference between materials engineering and other engineering is that “materials” are the basis for many inventions in modern civilization. Therefore, materials engineering is often said to be a major that is applied to almost all fields. This is why materials engineering can be said to encompass all academic fields. In order to develop the right materials, it is necessary to know exactly how a particular engineering field is structured, what the current problems are, and what is needed. This is why materials engineers need a wide range of knowledge from basic science to applied fields, and they act as a bridge between them.
In order to maximize the desired properties of materials, it is necessary to have a macroscopic understanding as well as a microscopic understanding. The evaluation of material properties should be done on a macroscopic level, but these properties are influenced by the microstructure and process of the material. Therefore, the Department of Materials Engineering requires a broad perspective, from various courses that deal with the microscopic perspective of materials to courses that evaluate the properties of materials from a macroscopic perspective. Through this process, materials engineering students develop practical problem-solving skills through various research and experiments.
The fact that the Department of Materials Science and Engineering covers a wide range is both an advantage and a disadvantage for students majoring in materials science and engineering. While it is difficult and unclear to decide on a career path, it has the advantage of allowing students to flexibly respond to desired or emerging fields. Therefore, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering does not have a distinct identity in the undergraduate program. In the case of ship and ocean engineering, the goal is to create an ideal ship, and in the case of mechanical engineering, the goal is to create an efficient mechanical structure. However, in the case of materials engineering, the goal is so broad that the undergraduate curriculum focuses on learning the necessary basic subjects before a specific goal is set. Afterwards, the graduate curriculum sets a specific goal and applies the basic subjects to develop the material properties that are being sought.
Another important role of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is the development of materials for a sustainable future. As environmental problems and resource depletion become more serious, materials engineers are focusing on developing recyclable materials, energy-efficient materials, and materials that minimize environmental impact. This shows that materials engineering is a discipline that goes beyond simply meeting industrial needs and fulfills its social responsibilities.
As mentioned earlier, the name of the major, Materials Science and Engineering, may be unfamiliar to people, but in fact, materials science has been with us since the beginning of humanity. Since humans first used fire, they have used stone tools, and have gone through the Neolithic Revolution, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Since then, humans have been striving to create better materials by observing and controlling the microstructure. As can be seen from the fact that historians divide the Stone Age and the Iron Age into the Neolithic and the Iron Age, the development of human civilization and the development of materials have gone hand in hand. It is easy to predict from human history that the development of materials engineering must be supported by the development of basic science, the IT industry, and the space industry, which are moving towards the cutting edge.
The future of materials engineering is very bright. In particular, there is a great potential for new innovations to be achieved through convergence with nanotechnology. Nanomaterials can be used to develop stronger and lighter materials, which can be applied to various fields such as medicine, electronics, and energy. Materials engineers are constantly researching, acquiring new knowledge, and developing technologies in preparation for this future. This will play an important role in improving the quality of life for humanity and achieving sustainable development.
