OVERVIEW

Metallic materials are an integral part of our daily lives and represent a significant achievement resulting from millennia of research and development in various fields of knowledge and technology. This is why Metallurgy classes encompass diverse disciplines, such as archaeology, engineering, chemistry, and materials science. The course begins by exploring the journey that led us to the current state of metallurgy, and concludes with a focus on modern iron metallurgy. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic, it is recommended to combine this teaching course with Non-ferrous metals and Metallurgy 2, which offer a more exhaustive overview.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide fundamental concepts in metallurgy, including the production and processing of metallic materials. It focuses on developing knowledge regarding the principles of selecting and manufacturing metallic materials for various industrial applications. Additionally, the course covers essential metallographic investigation techniques. Students will gain the ability to identify and analyze the microstructures of steels and metal alloys at different stages of industrial production and transformation, and understand their correlation with the material properties in practical use.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide an understanding of how to establish correlations between the properties of metals, their chemical composition, and their thermomechanical history. Special emphasis is placed on iron-based alloys, including carbon steel and cast iron, which are discussed in greater detail with practical examples.

PREREQUISITES

While not mandatory, it is suggested to have a basic knowledge of Inorganic Chemistry, binary phase diagrams, lattice principles, and chemical bonds to fully benefit from the course.

The classes are organized at different levels of complexity to accommodate students with diverse backgrounds and prior experiences, thereby facilitating the learning process.

TEACHING METHODS

The majority of classes are conducted in the classroom using slides and supplemented by expert seminars. These sessions provide theoretical knowledge and in-depth understanding of the subject matter. 

The teaching process consists of  8CFU (ECTS) divided in two parts: 6 CFU of direct teaching in the classroom (corresponding to 48 hours) and 102 hours of self-learning (for a total of 150 hours);  2 CFU of laboratory activities corresponding to 26 hours and 24 hours of self-learning for a total of 50 hours.

In addition, laboratory activities are scheduled as the final lessons in the metallurgy laboratory at the DCCI. These practical sessions aim to familiarize students with the manufacturing and shaping processes of face-centered cubic (FCC) alloys. Through hands-on experience, students gain practical skills and insights into working with FCC alloys.

Students who have 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 instructor and with Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course covers the historical significance of metals in human civilization, exploring their discovery and subsequent usage. It delves into the reasons behind the widespread use of metals and examines their main applications, highlighting achievements and future perspectives.

A closer examination is provided on metal bonds and lattices, including the face-centered cubic (FCC), body-centered cubic (BCC), and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structures. The fundamentals of crystallography are introduced, along with a discussion on defects such as punctual, linear, and volumetric defects. The relationship between lattice defects and diffusion is explored, including an overview of Fick's laws. The impact of defects on plastic deformation is examined, with topics including Burger's vector, Frank-Read sources, Cottrell atmospheres, and dislocation mobility. Additionally, the interaction between dislocations and inclusions, grain boundaries, precipitates, and second phases is discussed.

The course also covers various methods for the characterization of metallic materials, including optical metallography (sampling, polishing, etching, observation), electron microscopy, chemical analysis (SEM, EDXS), mechanical tests (stress-strain, hardness, toughness), fatigue, creep, and the concept of the fragile-ductile transition temperature. The importance of critical shear stress is emphasized. Strengthening methods such as alloying, hardening, and thermal treatment are explored, along with an introduction to solid solutions, intermetallic phases, compounds, eutectic and peritectic reactions, and phase diagrams. The transition from molten to solid state for pure metals and alloys is examined, along with the concepts of micro- and macro-segregation. Further topics include primary etching, the Fe-C phase diagram, carbon steel, and cast iron. The course also provides an overview of Bain curves, CCC curves, thermal treatments in the gamma field (annealing, normalizing, quenching), treatments in the alpha field (recrystallization annealing, recovery, tempering), and an introduction to quenchability measurements (Jominy). Finally, thermo-chemical surface treatments and practical metallography are introduced.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Daniel A. Brandt, Metallurgy Fundamentals, Goodheart-Willcox; Sixth Edition, Textbook (October 9, 2019)

A. Cigada, T. Pastore, Struttura e proprietà dei materiali metallici, McGraw-Hill,

W. Nicodemi, Metallurgia, Zanichelli

R. E. Smallman and A. H.W. Ngan, Physical Metallurgy and Advanced Materials, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007

In case the student autonomously individuate a book the teachers are available for its evaluation before to proceed with the purchase

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

End of September, please check on the official website.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is meant to assess the level of understaing and comprehension of the topics treated during the classworks, the efficacy of the student in integrating notes, classes, books and publications. The engagement in enriching the contents with personal researches will be rewarded

Oral with daily sessions of 12 students. 

The ora exam corresponds to three questions, each answer maximum grade il 10, the sum of the three results makes the final grade 

For those students belonging to differeing graduation or degree courses with a number of CFU (ECTS) other than those originally attributed to this course the exam will be planned accordingly

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Three main topics: 1) General metallurgy (metallic bond, solidification, phase diagrams, solid state transformations, Fe-C diagram, microstructural features at the equilibrium); 2) Practical metallurgy (out of equilibrium diagrams, thermal treatments on steels, mechanical treatments, surface modifiations); 3) Characterization (metallography, mechanical tests)

For those students belonging to differeing graduation or degree courses with a number of CFU (ECTS) other than those originally attributed to this course the exam will be only focused on topics treated during the face to face classes while all the laboratory activities will be set apart.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The notations are from 18 to 30 on 30 . The special mention (con lode) is attributed when the whole exam is considered outstanding. 

Students who have 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 instructor and with Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.