MATERIAL SCIENCE AND ENGENERING

PROBLEMS

1. You wish to introduce ceramic fibers into a metal matrix to produce a composite material, which
is subjected to high forces and large temperature a change. What design parameters might you
consider ensuring that the fibers will remain intact and provide strength to the matrix? What
problems might occur?
2. Turbine blades used in jet engines can be made from such materials as nickel-based superalloys.
We can, in principle, even use ceramic materials such as zirconia or other alloys based on steels. In
some cases, the blades also may have to be coated with a thermal barrier coating (TBC) to minimize
exposure of the blade material to high temperatures. What design parameters would you consider
in selecting a material for the turbine blade and for the coating that would work successfully in a
turbine engine. Note that different parts of the engine are exposed to different temperatures, and
not all blades are exposed to relatively high operating temperatures. What problems might occur?
Consider the factors such as temperature and humidity in the environment that the turbine blades
must function.
3. You want to design a material for making a mirror for a telescope that will be launched in space.
Given that the temperatures in space can change considerably, what material will you consider
using? Remember that this material should not expand or contract at all, if possible. It also should
be as strong and as low a density as possible, and one should be able to coat it so that it can serve
as a mirror.
4. You want to use a material that can be used for making a catalytic converter substrate. The job of
this material is to be a carrier for the nanoparticles of metals (such as platinum and palladium),
which are the actual catalysts. The main considerations are that this catalyst-support material must
be able to withstand the constant, cyclic heating and cooling that it will be exposed to. (Note: The
gases from automobile exhaust reach temperatures up to 500_C, and the material will get heated
up to high temperatures and then cool down when the car is not being used.) What kinds of
materials can be used for this application? Solid-Oxide Fuel-Cell Materials. A solid-oxide fuel cell is
made using a thin film of yttria stabilized zirconia (ZrO2) (known as YSZ). The film is deposited onto
a ceramic tube of a material called strontium (Sr) doped lanthanum manganite (LaMnO3) (known
as LSM). On the zirconia ceramic film, a layer of nickel is deposited and serves as the anode. The
LSM material acts as a cathode. The thermal expansion coefficient of YSZ used here was 10 x 10-6
C-1. The thermal expansion coefficient of nickel is 13.3 x 10-6 C-1. What type of stress will the nickel
film be subjected to if we assume that both YSZ and LSM used here have very similar thermal
expansion coefficients? What will be the magnitude of the stress in the nickel film?
5. The density of pure aluminum calculated from crystallographic data is expected to be 2.69955
g/cm3. (a) Design an aluminum alloy that has a density f 2.6450 g/cm3. (b) Design an aluminum alloy
that has a density of 2.7450 g/cm3.
6. You would like to use a metal plate with good weldability. During the welding process, the metal
next to the weld is heated almost to the melting temperature and, depending on the welding
 parameters, may remain hot for some period. Design an alloy that will minimize the loss of strength
in this ‘‘heat-affected zone’’ during the welding process.
7. An oxygen sensor is to be made to measure dissolved oxygen in a large vessel containing molten
steel. What kind of material would you choose for this application? Explain.
8. You would like to sort iron specimens, some of which are FCC and others BCC. Design an x-ray
diffraction method by which this can be accomplished.
9. Draw qualitative engineering stress-engineering strain curves for a ductile polymer, a ductile metal,
a ceramic, a glass, and natural rubber. Label carefully. Rationalize your sketch for each material.
10. Why do some polymers get stronger as we stretch them beyond a region where necking occurs?
11. An 850-lb force is applied to a 0.15-in.-diameter nickel wire having a yield strength of 45,000 psi
and a tensile strength of 55,000 psi. Determine (a) whether the wire will plastically deform; and (b)
whether the wire will experience necking.
12. force of 100,000 N is applied to a 10 mm x 20 mm iron bar having a yield strength of 400 MPa
and a tensile strength of 480 MPa. Determine (a) whether the bar will plastically deform; and (b)
whether the bar will experience necking.
13. Calculate the maximum force that a 0.2-in.- diameter rod of Al2O3, having a yield strength of 35,000
psi, can withstand with no plastic deformation. Express your answer in pounds and Newtons.
14. A force of 20,000 N will cause a 1 cm x 1 cm bar of magnesium to stretch from 10 cm to 10.045
cm. Calculate the modulus of elasticity, both in GPa and psi.
15. A polymer bar’s dimensions are 1 in. x 2 in. x 15 in. The polymer has a modulus of elasticity of
600,000 psi. What force is required to stretch the bar elastically to 15.25 in.?
16. An aluminum plate 0.5 cm thick is to withstand a force of 50,000 N with no permanent deformation.
If the aluminum has a yield strength of 125 MPa, what is the minimum width of the plate?
17. A 3-in.-diameter rod of copper is to be reduced to a 2-in.-diameter rod by being pushed through
an opening. To account for the elastic strain, what should be the diameter of the opening? The
modulus of elasticity for the copper is 17 x 106 psi and the yield strength is 40,000 psi. A 0.15-cm-
thick, 8-cm-wide sheet of magnesium that is originally 5 m long is to be stretched to a final length
of 6.2 m. What should be the length of the sheet before the applied stress is released? The modulus
of elasticity of magnesium is 45 GPa and the yield strength is 200 MPa.
18. A steel cable 1.25 in. in diameter and 50 ft long is to lift a 20-ton load. What is the length of the
cable during lifting? The modulus of elasticity of the steel is 30 x 106 psi.
19. Define ‘‘true stress’’ and ‘‘true strain.’’ Compare with engineering stress and engineering strain.
20. Write down the formulas for calculating the stress and strain for a sample subjected to a tensile
test. Assume the sample shows necking.
21. The following data were collected from a standard 0.505-in.-diameter test specimen of a copper
alloy (initial length (log) = 2.0 in.):
 After fracture, the total length was 3.014 in. and the diameter was 0.374 in. Plot the data and
calculate the 0.2% offset yield strength along with
(a) the tensile strength;
(b) the modulus of elasticity;
(c) the % elongation;
(d) the % reduction in area;
(e) the engineering stress at fracture;
(f ) the true stress at fracture; and
(g) the modulus of resilience.

22. The following data were collected from a 0.4-in.- diameter test specimen of polyvinyl chloride (log)
= 2.0 in.):

After fracture, the total length was 2.09 in. and the diameter was 0.393 in. Plot the data and calculate
(a) the 0.2% offset yield strength;
(b) the tensile strength;
(c) the modulus of elasticity;
(d) the % elongation;
(e) the % reduction in area;
(f ) the engineering stress at fracture;
(g) the true stress at fracture; and
(h) the modulus of resilience.
23. The following data were collected from a 12-mmdiameter test specimen of magnesium (l0 = 30.00
mm):

After fracture, the total length was 32.61 mm and the diameter was 11.74 mm. Plot the data and
calculate
(a) the 0.2% o¤set yield strength;
(b) the tensile strength;
(c) the modulus of elasticity;
(d) the % elongation;
(e) the % reduction in area;
(f) the engineering stress at fracture;
(g) the true stress at fracture; and
(h) the modulus of resilience

24. A 0.4-in.-diameter, 12-in.-long titanium bar has a yield strength of 50,000 psi, a modulus of elasticity
of 16 _ 106 psi, and Poisson’s ratio of 0.30. Determine the length and diameter of the bar when a
500-lb load is applied.
25. When a tensile load is applied to a 1.5-cm diameter copper bar, the diameter is reduced to1.498-
cm diameter. Determine the applied load, using the data in Table 6-3.
26. A three-point bend test is performed on a block of ZrO2 that is 8 in. long, 0.50 in. wide, and 0.25
in. thick and is resting on two supports 4 in. apart. When a force of 400 lb is applied, the specimen
deflects 0.037 in. and breaks. Calculate (a) the flexural strength; and (b) the flexural modulus,
assuming that no plastic deformation occurs.
27. A three-point bend test is performed on a block of silicon carbide that is 10 cm long, 1.5 cm wide,
and 0.6 cm thick and is resting on two supports 7.5 cm apart. The sample breaks when a deflection
of 0.09 mm is recorded. The flexural modulus for silicon carbide is 480 GPa. Assume that no plastic
deformation occurs. Calculate (a) the force that caused the fracture; and (b) the flexural strength.
28. A thermosetting polymer containing glass beads is required to deflect 0.5 mm when a force of 500
N is applied. The polymer part is 2 cm wide, 0.5 cm thick, and 10 cm long. If the flexural modulus
is 6.9 GPa, determine the minimum distance between the supports. Will the polymer fracture if its
flexural strength is 85 MPa? Assume that no plastic deformation occurs.
29. The flexural modulus of alumina is 45 x 106 psi and its flexural strength is 46,000 psi. A bar of
alumina 0.3 in. thick, 1.0 in. wide, and 10 in. long is placed on supports 7 in. apart. Determine the
amount of deflection at the moment the bar breaks, assuming that no plastic deformation occurs.
30. Design the materials and processing required to produce a discontinuous, but aligned, fiber
reinforced fiberglass composite that will form the hood of a sports car. The composite should
provide a density of less than 1.6 g/cm3 and a strength of 20,000 psi. Be sure to list all of the
assumptions you make in creating your design.
31. Design an electrical-contact material and a method for producing the material that will result in a
density of no more than 6 g/cm3, yet at least 50 vol% of the material will be conductive.
32. What factors will have to be considered in designing a bicycle frame using an aluminum
33. frame and a frame made using C—C composite?