OVERVIEW

The course aims to provide engineering students with the fundamental of chemistry and the tools for a rational selection of materials. The course guides to the understanding of fundamental concepts of chemistry. Then the resistance and functional properties of materials will be described, along with the chemical-physical properties they depend on, production processes, and post-production treatments to improve performance. The student will acquire the ability to choose materials in relation to the project and to address issues of material degradation and durability.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Develop a proper scientific language and the ability to critically understand fundamental chemical phenomena. Supply the necessary elements to understand the mechanical properties, functionality, and durability of materials. Provide criteria for selecting materials with particular reference to materials for structural applications.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation in the proposed activities (lectures and exercises) and individual study will allow the student to:

• Solve numerical exercises about chemical reaction balancing and stoichiometry
• Describe and analyze elementary properties of liquids, gases and solutions.
• Have a basic knowledge of the structure of different materials.
• Understand the correlation between structure, microstructure, properties, and applications.
• Know the different types of materials, with particular attention to those used in construction.
• Provide the necessary elements to understand the mechanical and functional properties and durability of materials, as well as the basic chemistry knowledge needed to understand the setting and hardening processes of binders and the corrosion of metallic materials.
• Be able, at least preliminarily, to choose the most suitable material for a specific application.

PREREQUISITES

For effective learning, basic knowledge of mathematics and physics is suggested, but no formal prerequisites are required.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, classroom exercises (60 hours). Possible remote lecture  via TEAMS  only in case of weather alert, following the guidelines of the course council and the university.

Students who have a valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the teacher and with the Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering 's disability referent.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course focuses on the study of construction materials and technological tests. During the course, the following topics will be presented:

• Inorganic nomenclature (oxides, anhydrides, hydroxides, acids, salts)
• Stoichiometry calculation (% composition, molar fraction, molarity, chemical reactions and quantitative calculations)
• Matter atomic structure (atomic models)
• Periodic table of elements and groups’s properties
• Bonds (covalent, ionic, metallic, hydrogen bridge, weak bonds)
• Polymer introduction
• Gas Laws (Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac, Avogadro, Ideal and real gases, partial pressures, gases in reaction)
• Thermodynamic (1°, 2° thermodynamic principles, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy)
• Chemical equilibria (equilibrium constant)
• Heterogeneous equilibria (phase diagram)
• pH and hydrolysis 
• Chemical kinetics (reaction order, Arrhenius law)
• Classes of materials: materials used in construction, mechanical properties, and functional properties.
• Chemical-physical properties of materials: chemical bonds and crystalline structures, microstructure.
• Mechanical properties: elastic modulus, yield strength, and material strength.
• Relationships between properties and microstructure.
• Introduction to chemical thermodynamics and phase diagrams.
• Metallic materials: steel, production and heat treatments, mechanical properties, weldability.
• Non-ferrous alloys for construction and architecture.
• Overview of the production process of traditional ceramic materials and glass. Properties and uses of ceramic materials.
• Binding materials: gypsum, lime, and cement, setting and hardening mechanisms. Properties and composition of fresh and hardened concrete.
• Degradation factors of concrete and mortars.
• Polymeric and composite materials: overview of the production process, mechanical and functional properties, viscoelasticity, use in the construction sector.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lecture notes available on Aulaweb during the course.

Other books for support and further study

• M. Panizza, Chimica per Ingegneria (Teoria ed esercizi)
• Materiali da costruzione, Volume I, terza edizione, 2014, Città Studi Edizioni, L. Bertolini, M. Carsana.
• Tecnologie Generali dei Materiali, terza edizione, 2012, Città Studi Edizioni, F. Caiazzo, V. Sergi.
• Scienza e Tecnologia dei materiali, Mc Graw-Hill, W.F. Smith e J. Hashemi, 
• Calcestruzzo. Materiali e Tecnologie Mc-Graw-Hill, Vito Alunno Rossetti

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The schedule and date of this course can be consulted on EasyAcademy.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final exam consists of a written and oral test aimed at assessing the achievement of the learning objectives. During the test, the candidate will be asked regarding the course and its content.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam is designed to assess the student's knowledge on theoretical and numerical fundamentals of chemistry and of the main characteristics of materials used in construction contexts and their understanding of the relationships between chemical composition, structure, microstructure, process parameters, and the mechanical and functional properties of materials. Therefore, clarity and precision in presentation, knowledge and understanding of the topics covered, as well as the ability of the student to choose between different materials based on the objective of creating a simple device or elements of a construction, will be evaluated.