Materials by design

Abstract

Materials design brings together the engineering requirements of a material for an application with the science of the relationships between the structure, properties and method of fabrication of the material. It also takes into account the conditions into which the material will be put in service. It is different from materials selection and materials discovery. The concepts of microstructure and materials as complex systems are introduced. An example is given of materials design using a systems approach. Some materials are produced by self-assembly, as illustrated by the bubble raft, photonic crystals and quantum dots. Self-healing materials and self-cleaning glass are two examples of smart materials.