Introduction to the History of Materials Science and
Engineering
[Change language to materials research. Also: explicate
that we deal with MSE and also other research dealing
with materials, as in Ehrenreich: "Materials research
is much more than materials research".]
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Materials science is an hybrid entity coupling
fundamental research with engineering application of the
end-product. Knowing and producing are never separated.
The interplay of cognitive purposes and technological interests
is seen in the very definition of materials. Unlike matter,
the notion of materials refers to a substance which is useful
or of value for human purpose. Materials are usually defined
as substances having properties which make them useful in
machines, structures, devices, and products. Because
of this dual aspect, materials science has contributed to
a deep transformation of the overall organization of research
and teaching. Whereas in 1900, it was taken for granted
that there were two kinds of sciences, the pure or basic
on the one hand and the applied on the other, this is no
longer the case. By pursuing simultaneously cognitive and
practical interests emerging disciplines such as materials
science have subverted this clearcut distinction.
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One major objective of materials science and
engineering is to create materials by design, i.e. structures
tailored for specific purposes, whose properties are adapted
to a set of specific tasks. This goal was achieved only
once instruments provided access to the microstructure of
materials. X-ray diffraction was the first of the new techniques
for imaging the microworld that fostered the development
of materials science and technology. Each new technique
opened up new windows on the microstructures. The generic
concept of materials presupposes that there is something
common to such diverse things as metals, polymers,
glass, or semi-conductors. All these different materials
are submitted to a common approach typical of materials
science. Instead of adopting a linear sequence, materials
scientists and engineers have to embrace conspectually in
a single approach structures, properties, functions, processes
and end-uses. Do you agree with this intro? If not, go to
discussions.
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