Microstructure

and
materials properties

Julien Boisse

Introduction

Microstructure and materials properties

Introduction

1 example
Towers with electrical cables
Insulating fastening: ceramics

Cable :
Good conductor to reduces losses
ex : copper or aluminum
But insufficient mechanical strength !
cable core : steel wires
Transmission of electricity :
aluminum wires all around

Tower: steel to handle cable weight +

polymer painting coating and zinc to resist
corrosion
To fix the tower on the floor : concrete (fr: bton ) = ceramic

Conclusion : 6 12 different materials at least !

Microstructure and materials properties

Categories of materials

Several point of View

Several criteria to classify materials types:
-

Composition
Structure
Properties

Classification examples
-

Classification as a function of natures of bonding / atomic arrangement

Classification as a function of material properties

Microstructure and materials properties

Categories of materials

Thermal and electrical conductivity, light opacity,

plasticity, material strength and tenacity,
High fusion temperature

Metallic

bonding

Metals

Metallic alloys

Fe, Al, Cu, steels, brass (fr:

laiton)

Organic

Inorganic
Ceramics

Polymers

Thermoplastics,
Elastomers,
organic fibers

Al2O3, Si3N4, SiC

Ionic bonding
Covalent bonding

Mineral
glass

Mechanical strength
High rigidity,
high hardness (abrasive)
thermal resistance (heat resistant)
Chemical resistance

+
+

Microstructure and materials properties

Covalent bonding
Van-der-Waals
Several physical properties
Easy forming, light,
Often insulating,
(thermal and electrical)

Categories of materials

Metals chimiques
Les lments
ClassificationPeriodic table priodique de Mendeleev
Alkali (except H)
Alkaline metals

chimiste russe 19e s.

Noble gases
halogens

Metals
Metalloids
Nonmetals
Noble gases

Familles dlments aux proprits chimiques semblables

Microstructure and materials properties

origine ?

Categories of materials
Mtaux
Mtaux
Metals

" solides
atomiques
liaison
mtallique
" solides
atomiques
liaison
mtallique
Metallic bonding
" cristallins
" cristallins
Crystalline materials

Ferrous metals
Mtaux
Mtaux
ferreuxferreux
Fe)
+ C (+ )
Fe + C (+

Aciers Aciers
Alloys

au carbone
/ non-allis
- With Carbon / pure
au carbone
/ non-allis

- Alloy steel
allis (rapides,
inoxydables,
)
allis(rapides,
inoxydables,
)

Fontes Fontes
Cast iron
blanches
(F+Cmentite)
blanches
(F+Cmentite)
- White (Fe + cementite)
(F+Graphite)
grises (F+Graphite)
grises
- Grey iron (Fe + Graphite ductile)
fonte
ductile,
fonte ductile,

non-Ferrous metals
non-ferreux
MtauxMtaux
non-ferreux
alliages
lgers
Mg, Ti, )
alliages
lgers (Al,
Mg, (Al,
Ti, )
- Light alloys : Al, Mg, Ti
alliages
de Cu,
Zn,Ni,Zr,
- Alloys : Cu, Zn, Ni, Zr
alliages
de Cu, Zn,
Ni, Zr,
- rares
Rare-earth
terres rares
terres
- Thermally refractar
mtaux
rfractaires
mtaux
rfractaires
- Precious metals
mtaux
mtaux
prcieuxprcieux
- Noble metals
mtaux
mtaux
nobles nobles
- Heavy metals
mtaux
mtaux
lourds lourds

Electrical and thermal conductivity, light opacity (reflexion)

plasticity (ductility), mechanical strength and tenacity
Usually high fusion temperature
Microstructure and materials properties

Atoms and bonding

strength
IntroductionFirst feeling of the bonding
Structure
Dfauts
Grandes
famillesde matriaux
Alkaline metals
alcalino-terreux :
650 1277C

Fusion temperature
Atomes
(2/6) : Temprature de fusion
metals
mtaux
de transition :
-38 3410C

C : 3727C

Alkali (except H)
mtaux alcalins :
29 180C
La temprature de fusion indique la force des liaisons

Sources : www.webelements.com

source : www.webelements.com

Microstructure and materials properties

Categories of materials

Light metals lgers

Les
mtaux
(compared to steels)lgers
Les mtaux
" Par rapport un acier bas carbone
" Par rapport un acier bas carbone

Density and Young modulus

Masse volumique et module dYoung

1,5 Masse volumique et module dYoung

1,5
1
1
0,5
0,5
0
Ti
Al Be Mg Li PRFC
0
Ti
Al Be Mg Li PRFC

Mais
attention
But be careful !!!
Mais attention
3
3
Cost / kg
Cost / m
Prix/kg etand
prix/m

10000
10000
1000
1000
100
100
10
10
1
Ti
1

Prix/kg et prix/m3

Performance rigidit/masse pour une

1/3/)
Performance rigidity/mass for
poutre
(E1/2/) ou
une plaque (E
Performance
rigidit/masse
pour
une
1/2
1/2
1/3
or plate (E1/3/rho)
poutre (E /rho
/) ou
une plaque (E /)
6 beam E
5
4
3
2
1
0

6
5
4
3
2
1
Ti
0

Ti

Al
Be Mg
Li PRFC
Al
Be Mg
Li PRFC

Mtaux lgers courants :

Mtaux lgers courants :

Often used : Al

Utiliss rarement :
Less often used : Ti, Be
Utiliss rarement :

Al Be Mg Li PRFC
Ti
Al Be Mg Li PRFC

Microstructure and materials properties

Categories of materials

10

Titanium alloys
Alliages
de
titane
expensive, lessde
rigid than
Al : benefits ?
Alliages
titane

rigidit
flexible,spcifique
strong and
light
Trs cher,
infrieure
Al ! intrt ?
s cher, rigidit spcifique infrieure Al ! intrt ?

a)
a

" a)
" a

ex : eye glass frame (Ni-Ti)

souple, rsistant et lger
flexible,rsistant
strong and
light
souple,
et lger

hautes tempratures et milieux corrosifs

hautes tempratures
et milieux
corrosifs
Can be used
in high
temperature and corrosive environments

aerospace
arospatiale
arospatiale ex : jet engine

Medical
mdical
mdical ex : artificial hip

Microstructure and materials properties

Categories of materials

ues

Polymers

Polymres

Several physical properties

Easy forming and light
Often : thermal and/or electrical insulating

ues

Thermoplastics
FE, PMMA,
PET, PC, PA, polyaramides, PEEK, cellulose

ables

Hot forming
Reversible transformation: recycling !

PE, PP, PS, PVC, PTFE, PMMA, PET, PC, polyamides, PEEK, cellulose

pontsChemical bridges
chimiques

Thermoset
/ bridging
FE, PMMA,
PET, PC, PA, polyaramides, PEEK, cellulose

Irreversible hardening
Chemical reaction : polymerisation

Polyester, phenolast (PF), aminoplast, polyepoxies (EP), lignin

ables
chimiques
es (PF), aminoplastes, polypoxydes (EP),ponts
lignine
Elastomers (subclass of thermosets)

Large reversible deformation (non-linear response)

Polyisoprene (natural rubber ), polyurethans (PUR), polysiloxanes/silicone

es (PF), aminoplastes, polypoxydes (EP), lignine

Microstructure and materials properties

11

Categories of materials

12

Ceramics (Metal + non-Metal)

Cramiques

liaisons ioniques, covalentes, parfois faibles

Ionic bonding, covalent, weak bonding

Technical ceramics
cramiques
techniques

Aluminum - silicates
alumino-silicates

ciment
cement

clays
produits
d argile

carbone
Carbon

verres
minraux
Mineral glass
proprits mcaniques
Mechanical properties
proprits chimiques
Chemical properties

Ex : Rsistance
Ex : resistance to corrosion
pluttla corrosion

proprits physiques
physical properties
- Transparent (verres)
-Translucent / transparent
Temprature de fusion
High fusion temperature
leve

-- High
Module dYoung
lev
Young modulus
- Faible tnacit
- Low tenacity
(Fragiles)

(Fragile)

autre proprit
Other properties
Semiconductor

Microstructure and materials properties

Categories of materials

13

Thermal and electrical conductivity, light opacity,

plasticity, material strength and tenacity,
High fusion temperature

Metallic

bonding

Metals

Metallic alloys

Fe, Al, Cu, steels, brass (fr:

laiton)

Organic

Inorganic
Ceramics

Polymers

Thermoplastics,
Elastomers,
organic fibers

Al2O3, Si3N4, SiC

Ionic bonding
Covalent bonding

Mineral
glass

Mechanical strength
High rigidity,
high hardness (abrasive)
thermal resistance (heat resistant)
Chemical resistance

+
+

Microstructure and materials properties

Covalent bonding
Van-der-Waals
Several physical properties
Easy forming, light,
Often insulating,
(thermal and electrical)

Categories of materials

14

Composite
Composites
combined materials
" Composite
Composite =

" Composite
techniques :
Technical Composite =
surtout
matrice polymre
surtout
thermodurcissables
Polymer matrix
Thermoset

surtout
polypoxydes
Polyepoxies

" Renforts
les plus frquents :
Usually used reinforcement =
de verre (bon compromis performance mcanique / prix)
- fibres
Glass fiber (nice compromise cost/perfomances)
- fibres
Carbon fiber (rigidity strength)
de carbone (excellente rigidit et rsistance)
- fibres
Aramid (choc resistant)
daramide (bonne tenue aux chocs)
" Composites
matrice cramique : construction (bton, bton arm)
Ceramic matrix composites : building (concrete, reinforced concrete)
Microstructure and materials properties

Material science : definition

15

materials science
source : Larousse (fr)

Scientific domain aiming to interpret and predict material macroscopic

properties (ductility, fragility, etc.).

materials science

source (fr): Trait des matriaux 1, JP Mercier, G Zambelli W Kurz

Scientific domain aiming to establish existing relationships between composition
and atomic or molecular arrangement, microstructure and macroscopic
properties.

materials science

source : Trait des matriaux 1, JP Mercier, G Zambelli W Kurz

Manufacturing process, transformation and forming

Microstructure and materials properties

Material science : 4 poles

16

Performances
(behavior + economic factors)

Properties*

Synthesis
Manufacture
Transformation*
(material engineering)
Composition*
Structure*
Microstructure and materials properties

*This course

Materials properties

General overview of mechanical properties

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties

18

Classification of properties
Characterization of one property: analyze of the reaction of a material to an external
solicitation (usually a normalized test)
Physical properties
Behavior of a material under temperature stress, electric or magnetic field or light

specific mass, electrical conductivity, thermal, ionic, surface energy, latent heat of phase
transformation, thermal expansion

Chemical properties
Material behavior in a reactive environment
oxidation, corrosion, stability, reactivity

Mechanical properties
Materials Behavior under stress loading, deformation

Elasticity, plasticity, material strength, tenacity, hardness, fatigue, au creep (fr: fluage) etc

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties

19

Mechanical properties
reminder
Hooke law for an isotropic material

ij = kkij + 2ij

1+

ij =
ij kkij
E
E

Lame coefficient

Or G Shear modulus

E Young modulus

Poisson coefficient

A simple tensile test, isotropic case

0
0
0

= 0 0
0

F
0 0 I =

I
= 0

II
0

III

S
-F

Which shape of the specimen

gives the most uniform stress field ?

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties
Mechanical properties
The tensile test

20

Machine dessai de
d
tractionMachine
utilise en dessai
TP
matriauxutilise en
traction

matriaux

Eprouvettes de traction

Tensile specimen
Eprouvettes
de traction

A Tensile test Machine (there is one in LEMTA Brabois)

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties

21

Mechanical properties
The tensile test
F
F

L0

conventional quantity ( / initial config.) :

Conventional stress => c = F / S0
Conventional strain (HPP) => c = A = L/L0
or elongation
Most used quantity :

S0

-F
-F

S < S0 et L < L0

Stress => r = F / S
Strain => r = L/L
= A (elongation) elasticity HPP
r = c (1+A)
r = ln(1+A)
Considering no volume variation
(also for plasticity)

Ideally we want :
True stress
True strain
In one material point
(difficult to obtain ex: Video-traction LEMTA)

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties
Mechanical properties
Stress (true) - strain (true) curve
For a given temperature
=> In general : room temperature
=> characterization of the curve = f() : the constitutive law

Force F (daN)
Stress (MPa)

L (mm)
(relative displacement) strain (%)
Microstructure and materials properties

22

Materials properties
Mechanical properties
Characterization of the constitutive law = f()
Force F (daN)
Stress (MPa)

L (mm)
(relative displacement) strain (%)

Microstructure and materials properties

23

Materials properties
Mechanical properties
Characterization of the constitutive law = f()
Force F (daN)
Stress (MPa)

Ke (N/m)
E (Gpa)

Elasticity (rigidity)

L (mm)
(relative displacement) strain (%)

E, G :
elastic modulus
(GPa)
Ke = (Module) x S/L : stiffness (N/m)

Microstructure and materials properties

24

Materials properties

25

Mechanical properties
Characterization of the constitutive law = f()
Force F (daN)
Stress (MPa)

strength

Re

Strength (hardness)

Ke (N/m)
E (Gpa)

RE
R
H

:
:
:

L (mm)
(relative displacement) strain (%)
yield strength (or yield point - E) (MPa)
breaking load (or ultimate load - R) (MPa)
hardness
(Mpa)

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties

26

Mechanical properties
Characterization of the constitutive law = f()
Force F (daN)
Stress (MPa)

strength

Re

Ke (N/m)
E (Gpa)
Ductility

Ductility (Plasticity)

A% :

A%

L (mm)
(relative displacement) strain (%)

elongation

Microstructure and materials properties

dimensionless

Materials properties

27

Mechanical properties
Characterization of the constitutive law = f()
Force F (daN)
Stress (MPa)

strength

Re

Tenacity K
Energies / Volume (J/mm3)
breaking
Ke (N/m)
E (Gpa)
Ductility

A%

L (mm)
(relative displacement) strain (%)

Tenacity (non fragility) K :

tenacity
Kc :
resilience (measure ex.)
K* = (RE+R)A%/2 (calculus)
A% :
elongation at breaking
Microstructure and materials properties

Energy / surface
Energy / Volume
(J/m2 ou /m3)

Materials properties

28

Mechanical properties
Rigidity

Depends on bonding between atoms or molecules : Young modulus E

Hardness H

Penetration resistance of a material

ductility

solid material's ability to deform under tensile stress (plasticity) before breaking. Useful property
Tnacit
for material forming.
La tnacit : capacit dun matriau emmagasiner de
Material strength R or R
lnergie avant sa rupture. Elle caractrise la rsistance
du matriau
la of
propagation
brutale de fissures
maximum stress that a material can handle before breaking
(top
the curve)
Laire sous la courbe de traction F(L) reprsente lnergie
ncessaire pour rompre lprouvette
F

Tenacity K (opposite to Fragility)

Capacity of a material to store energy before

breaking

Lf

W = F ( L ).dL
0

Aire W
Area = W

Characterize material strength to resist to

brutal propagation of cracks
Lf

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties

29

Mechanical properties
Proprits
mcaniques des matriaux
Known constitutive laws = f()

Elastic and rigid : ceramics

stress

Plastic (ductile) and high tenacity : metals (ex: iron)

Metallic alloys
ductile and high tenacity : metals (ex: cupper)
ductileetals (ex: cupper)
Bones : flexible and easily damaged
Very flexible : polymers ( ex : natural rubber)
Strain

Classification as a function of mechanical properties

Microstructure and materials properties

Materials properties

30

Classification as a function of mechanical properties

Fragile

ductile

Non linear

No plastic deformation
range (/ region)
-

Glass
Ceramics
Concrete (fr : bton)
Thermoset polymers (fr
: thermodurcissables)

Plastic deformation
- Metals
- alloys
- Thermoplastic
polymers

Microstructure and materials properties

L
Non linear elastic
deformation
- Natural rubber
- elastomers

Material science : 4 poles

31

Performances
(behavior + economic factors)

Properties*

Synthesis
Manufacture
Transformation*
(material engineering)
Composition*
Structure*
Microstructure and materials properties

*This course

Microstructure : definition

32

Microstructure
source : Larousse (fr)

Structured Constituent of a larger system

Microstructure

source : Trait des matriaux 1, JP Mercier, G Zambelli W Kurz

grains or particles at the microscopic scale, characterizing structure of materials

microstructure of a material is the set of grains, particles and defects
observables by microscopy (optical, electronic or X-ray scattering)

Microstructure and materials properties

Microstructure : generalities
elements of Microstructure

Composition

Atomic arrangement

Relative quantity

Morphology

size

microstructure determines properties

Controlled modification
of microstructure

Controlled modification
of properties

Ex: the aging phenomenon

Important modification
of properties

Microstructure and materials properties

33