About Book

The combination of physics, chemistry and the focus on the relationship between the properties of a material and its microstructure is the domain of Materials Science. Materials science has driven the development of revolutionary technologies such as rubbers, plastics, semiconductors, and biomaterials. It is an interdisciplinary field including the properties of matter and its applications to several areas of science and engineering. It contains elements of applied physics and chemistry, in addition to chemical, mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. Other branches of engineering rely heavily on materials scientists and engineers for the advanced materials used to design and manufacture products such as safer cars with better gas mileage, faster computers with larger hard drive capacities, smaller electronics, threat-detecting sensors, renewable energy harvesting devices and better medical devices. Thus, breakthroughs in materials science are likely to affect the future of technology significantly. The book aims to shed light on some of the unexplored aspects of materials science and engineering. It describes in detail the various concepts and theories of this field. It deals with microanalysis, principal component analysis, thermography in materials science, crystals, thermal research, fractal fracture mechanics, quality management systems, thermodynamics and kinetics. It is compiled in such a manner, that it will provide in-depth knowledge about the theory and practice of material science. The topics included in it are of utmost significance and bound to provide incredible insights to students. Some of the diverse topics covered in this book address the varied branches that fall under this category. This book is an essential guide for students & researchers in this discipline of engineering.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Key Aspects for Implementing ISO/IEC 17025 Quality Management Systems at Materials Science Laboratories...........................................1

Abstract...................................................................................................1

1. Introduction............................................................................................1

2. Key matters in quality management systems in materials science

laboratories.............................................................................................7

3. Practical view for implementing quality management

systems..................................................................................................20

4. Final considerations............................................................................24

Chapter 2 Fractal Fracture Mechanics Applied to Materials Engineering.....29

1. Introduction..........................................................................................29

2. Literature review of fractal fracture mechanics............................30

3. Postulates of a fracture mechanics with irregularities ...............32

4. Energies in linear elastic fracture mechanics for irregular

media ..................................................................................................34

5. Stable or quasi-static fracture mechanics to the rough path ....38

6. The elastic-plastic fractal fracture mechanics ...............................45

7. Experimental analyses........................................................................54

8. Conclusions .........................................................................................69

Chapter 3 Application of Thermodynamics and Kinetics in Materials Engineering ...............................................................................................74

1. Introduction..........................................................................................74

2. Research and development on Transformation Induced Plasticity

(TRIP) steel...........................................................................................75

3. Research and development on large-section pre-hardened mold

steel for plastic.....................................................................................84

4. Research and development on the high strength TWIP steel...88

5. Research on high-tech ceramics.......................................................95

6. Conclusion..........................................................................................104

Acknowledgement.............................................................................105

Chapter 4 Methodology of Thermal Research in Materials Engineering ...109

1. Introduction........................................................................................109

2. Thermal decomposition of NH4VO3 ............................................111

3. Heat treatment of TiCx/C. Carbonisation of nc-TiCx ................130

4. Oxidation of the nc-TiCx/C and nc-TiCx .....................................144

5. Conclusions .......................................................................................152

6. Nomenclature.....................................................................................154

Acknowledgements .........................................................................155

Chapter 5 Crystals in Materials Science .............................................................158

1. Introduction........................................................................................158

2. Photochromic materials ..................................................................159

3. Crystalline molecular semiconductors .........................................167

Chapter 6 Application of Thermography in Materials Science and

Engineering .............................................................................................181

1. Introduction........................................................................................181

2. Application of thermography in materials science ...................182

3. Application of thermography in engineering ............................190

4. Conclusion .........................................................................................208

5. Acknowledgment .............................................................................208

Chapter 7 Applications of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in Materials

Science.......................................................................................................214

1. Introduction........................................................................................214

2. The mathematics and algorithms of PCA....................................215

3. Applications in biology, advantages and limitations of

PCA ....................................................................................................222

4. Applications of PCA in nanomaterials .......................................225

5. Conclusions and perspectives .......................................................230

Chapter 8 The Use of Electron Probe MicroAnalysis to Determine the Thickness of Thin Films in Materials Science................................234

1. Introduction........................................................................................234

2. EPMA-EDS: A fast, cheap and simple tool for the characterization

of surface thin films from 10 to 1000 nm ...................................238

3. EPMA-WDS: A tool for the characterization of surface thin films

in the monolayer and sub-monolayer range ..............................244

4. EPMA analysis of sandwich films ...............................................250

5. Conclusion .........................................................................................253

6. Acknowledgements .........................................................................253

Citation......................................................................................................257

Index...........................................................................................................259

About Author

Laura Jarvis pursued her Ph.D. in Advanced Materials and Engineering from Public College of Engineering, Kentucky. She is a Visiting Professor at Science Research University, Ontario. She is actively engaged in the researches focused on biomaterials, metallurgy and ceramics. Jarvis has been the recipient of two awards for her research work in the field of crystallography of polymers. She has also won an “Excellence in Graduate Education” award for her outstanding contribution towards the student community, especially in the undergraduate programs. She has authored and edited numerous articles, journal papers and book in the field of materials science and engineering.