Materials Engineering

A Library Subject Guide providing suggested resources and other information for beginning research about Materials Engineering.

Overview: Materials Engineering
Sometimes referred to as materials science or materials technology, materials engineering is concerned with investigating the properties of existing materials and substances in order to create new materials and items with enhanced chemical and physical properties.

These new or improved materials are frequently created for specific applications that can then be transferred to different industries. Materials engineers also improve production processes, reduce the cost and environmental impact of materials and decrease instances of materials-related parts failure.

Materials Engineering therefore seeks to understand the fundamental physical origins of material behavior in order to optimize properties of existing materials through structure modification and processing, design and invent new and better materials, and understand why some materials unexpectedly fail.
Keywords
Broader Term(s)
  • Metallurgical engineering
  • Material sciences
  • Ceramic engineering
Related Terms
  • engineering
  • nanotechnology
  • biotechnology
  • composites engineering
  • polymer engineering
  • concrete engineering
  • mechanical chemistry
  • thermochemistry