Materials Science deals with the structural analysis of materials, the discovery of new material substances and their application in various industries. The materials engineering field looks into relationships between properties of materials and their mechanical structure at the atomic level.
Professional scientists and engineers develop materials such as metals, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, composites and biomaterials that other engineers need for their designs. The right materials help drive product innovation in all industries from aircrafts, medical equipment, gadgets, to musical instruments and environmental friendly technologies.
Materials engineering is based on supportive areas such as thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and nanoscience. Study programmes in material sciences combines in-depth knowledge of the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of materials with the training in production techniques and the selection of appropriate materials for a wide range of applications. Universities offer a wide range of specialisations in the field, such as magnetic and nano-materials, structural materials, electronic materials and interfaces, energy materials and application, biomaterials, and more.
Graduates learn how materials behave and how their properties change during the process of raw materials becoming designed products.
Most professionals work in offices using computer-aided design (CAD) software or in development labs, where they have access to cutting-edge equipment. Others work as supervisors in factories or research institutes.
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