MSE 250: Structure and Properties of Materials, Fall 2013

Course Objective
This course aims to provide an introductory level understanding of the material structure
(microstructure) on different length scales, how specific material properties and behaviors are
determined by the associated structure, as well as how the structure is affected by the
possessing history. Fundamental concepts related to the structure (e.g., lattice and dislocation)
and to the properties (e.g., stress and strain, band gap, etc.) will be introduced. The materials
discussed in the course mainly includes metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites,
semiconductors as well as other functional materials with useful magnetic and optical
properties. Principles of material design will be briefly discussed.

Instructor
Prof. Yang Jiao, ERC 387, 480-965-4560, yang.jiao.2@asu.edu
Office Hours: 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Monday, or by appointment via email

Mr. Shengke Zhang (Assistant Instructor), szhang76@asu.edu

Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 12:00 – 1:00 pm, ECB 142

Required Textbook
W. Callister “Materials Science and Engineering” 8th edition

Expected Course Outcomes

 Understand the complexity of material structures on different length scales
 Be able to predict material properties and behaviors for given material structure
 Be able to determine processing conditions that leads to materials for specific applications
 Be able to select and design materials for specific applications

Grading Method
The semester score will be determined based on a set of evaluation methods, and the weights
are: 20% homework; 40% midterm exams (2 @ 20% each); 35% final exam; 5% term paper.
The semester grade will be determined according to following scale:

A+ 97 ≤ semester score ≤ 100

A 94 ≤ semester score < 97
A- 90 ≤ semester score < 94
B+ 87 ≤ semester score < 90
B 84 ≤ semester score < 87
B- 80 ≤ semester score < 84
C+ 75 ≤ semester score < 80
C 70 ≤ semester score < 75
D 60 ≤ semester score < 70
E semester score < 60

1
Homework (20%)
A total of 11 problem sets will be assigned via the course webpage (Blackboard).
Assignments are usually due in one week at the beginning of that class in hard copy only.
Please staple your work together. Late submission is not accepted unless there is any justified
excuse and may be subject to 10% penalty each day on the grade. Please use drawings and
equations to support your work, and discuss the results if possible. Please keep your work
legible as well. Discussion among students on the homework is encouraged, but each student
must turn in his or her own work. Though the correctness of final answers is important, the
grading will mainly focus on the efforts and steps in solving problems in order to see how
much a student understands fundamental concepts.

Midterm Exams (40%)

There are 2 midterm exams during the semester, and the scheduled dates for the 2 midterm
exams are given in the table below. This schedule is subject to change, but I will try my best
to keep midterms scheduled as they are, unless there is any good reason to change them. The
midterm exams are in class and duration is one lecture time (75 min). All the exams
(including the final exam) are closed-book. Each student is allowed to take one single-page
one-side letter size “cheat sheet” for each exam, additional to the sheets that you already have
from previous exams (i.e., 1 cheat sheet for Midterm 1, 2 for Midterm 2, and 3 for Final
exam). All cheat sheets must be hand-written. Printouts and photocopies are NOT allowed.

Final Exam (35%)

The final exam will be on Monday, December 9, 2013, SCOB201 12:10 PM – 2:00 PM.

Materials Selection Paper (5%)

A 750-1000 word paper on materials selection for a given application (including criteria and
comparison of different possible materials is required. Note that the comparison should be as
quantitative as possible, and include quantitative data where possible). A minimum of 4
references are required. A photocopy of the front page of each reference should be included.
An outline of the paper is due on 11/18/2013 and must be approved by the instructor. An
electronic copy of the paper should be sent to yang.jiao.2@asu.edu by 12/13/2013.

Absence Policies
Late submission is not accepted unless there is any justified excuse and may be subject to
10% penalty each day on the grade. Make-up for in-class exams will be only considered for
extreme emergencies and ASU excused absence such as religious observance (in accord with
ACD 304–04) and university-sanctioned events and activities (in accord with ACD 304–02)
with proof of justifications.

Expected Classroom Behavior

Any student who arrives 15 min after the class starts is not allowed in class. Cell phones
should be silenced and no cell phone usage during the all the class time. Laptops and tablets
are only allowed for the purpose of taking notes.

2
Academic Integrity Policy
Any incidence of cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the School Director and/or the
Dean of Academic and Student Affairs for appropriate action which may include loss of
credit for the course or the dismissal from the University. Examples of cheating or plagiarism
include, but not limited to: copying homework from others, copying from Textbook solution
manual, cheating during in-class exams, etc.

Disabled Students
Appropriate arrangements or accommodations including additional time or resources for
taking exams can be arranged for disabled students. However, they must be registered with
the Disability Resource Center (Disability-Q@asu.edu, 480- 965-1234), and they must
submit to the instructor the appropriate documentation from the DRC for the request.

Threatening Behavior
All incidents and allegations of violent or threatening conduct by an ASU student (whether on
or off-campus) must be reported to the ASU Police Department and the Office of the Dean of
Students.

3
 Tentative Schedule and Topics for MSE250 Struc. & Prop. Materials (Fall 2013)

Week Date Topic Reading Note

1 No class
2 M 8/26 Overview of materials Ch.1
W 8/28 Atomic structure and bonding Ch.2 Hw 1
3 M 9/2 Labor Day No class
W 9/4 Structure of crystalline solids Ch.3 Hw 1 due
4 M 9/9 Defects in crystalline solids Ch.4, 5 Hw 2
W 9/11 Defects in crystalline solids II Ch.4, 5
5 M 9/16 Mechanical properties I Ch.6 Hw 3/ Hw 2 due
W 9/18 Mechanical properties II Ch.7
6 M 9/23 Mechanical properties III Ch.8 Hw 4/ Hw 3 due
W 9/25 Mechanical properties IV Ch.8
7 M 9/30 Review for Exam 1
W 10/2 Exam 1
8 M 10/7 Go over Exam 1 Hw 4 due
W 10/9 Phase diagram and transformation I Ch. 9, 10
9 M 10/14 Fall Break No class
W 10/16 Phase diagram and transformation II Ch.11 Hw 5
10 M 10/21 Phase diagram and transformation III Ch.11
W 10/23 Ceramics I Ch.12 Hw 6/ Hw 5 due
11 M 10/28 Ceramics II Ch. 13
W 10/30 Polymers I Ch.14 Hw 7/ Hw 6 due
12 M 11/4 Polymers II Ch.15
W 11/6 Exam 2
13 M 11/11 Veterans Day No class
W 11/13 Go over Exam 2 Hw 8/ Hw 7 due
14 M 11/18 Composites I Ch.16
W 11/20 Composites II Ch.16 Hw 9/ Hw 8 due
15 M 11/25 Semiconductors Ch.18
W 11/27 Novel functional materials Ch.19-21 Hw 10/ Hw 9 due
16 M 12/2 Principles of materials design Ch.22
W 12/4 Review for Final Exam Hw 11/Hw 10 due
17 M 12/9 Final Exam 12:10 PM – 2:00 PM
W 12/11
F 12/13 Material Selection Paper Due by 11:59 Send e-copy to
PM yang.jiao.2@asu.edu