Portale di Ateneo - En.Unibs.it

A first aim of this course is to provide the student with the basic notions necessary to understand the origin of the properties observed in polymer and composite materials. Secondly, the course is intended to present the main tests employed to characterise the behaviour of such materials, in particular their thermal and mechanical behaviour. Finally, a third objective is the description of the manufacturing technologies of polymer and composite parts. In this context, special emphasis will be given to the interdependence between material processing, structure and properties, the ultimate goal being to afford the basis for a correct approach to the material selection process in view of the different engineering applications.
CONTENTS
I - Introduction to Materials Science
Classification and properties of main classes of materials. Interatomic bonding in materials and potential energy curves. Crystalline and amorphous materials. Main tests for the characterization of the mechanical behaviour of materials. Relationships between mechanical behaviour and material structure. Survey on structure and properties of ceramics and glasses.
II - Polymeric Materials
Structure of polymeric macromolecules. Classification of polymeric materials (thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, copolymers and polymer blends). Molecular masses and distributions. Polymeric additives. Structure of polymeric solids. Thermal behaviour. Mechanical behaviour. Manufacturing processes. Degradative phenomena. Properties and applications of main industrial polymers.
III - Composite Materials
Main types of reinforcement. Typical matrices. Role of interface in composites. Main manufacturing processes of polymer-matrix composites. Properties of unidirectional composites. Properties of short-fibre composites.