Materials Engineering

These days the development of new materials is considered a key technology globally. The capability of production and application of high performance materials is a prerequisite for novel and internationally competitive products and processes. The term material science is relatively young and not precisely defined. These days the study of relation between microscopic structure and macroscopic properties of engineering materials come under purview of materials science. It combines the broad spectrum of commercially utilized solids ranging from metals to ceramics, glasses, plastics, composites and electronic materials. The most important group of engineering materials with respect to production volume and variety of application as well as tradition and systematic development are metals. The materials science of ceramics, plastics, and electronic materials is relatively young compared to metallurgy. During seventies of the past century the classical independent disciplines of metallurgy, ceramics and plastics merged into a new discipline of materials science and engineering.  Materials science and engineering is a truly multidisciplinary field with a broad perspective of physics, chemistry, metallurgy, biology, ceramics, engineering aspects and social systems.

                The need for low cost mass products and components for extreme service conditions in our industrial age have made high performance ceramics, plastics, and eventually composites highly competitive materials. Ceramics are particularly useful as high temperature components and fiber reinforced plastics are used for weight savings in automobiles, airplanes and satellites. The advances in materials are largely due to the discovery of X-ray diffractometer, scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope. The ability to probe matter at the atomic scale enabled systematic study and improvement of the properties of materials. The extensive knowledge gained during the recent past has enabled a new approach to materials development. This involves designing the materials as per the demand. A composite material can be designed with a prior knowledge of the strength to be expected and the density of materials. A material called bio-steel having the properties of spider’s silk has been developed recently for fabrication of small precision components. Carbon nanotubes and the metamaterials are the other two hot materials with potentials of entirely novel applications. To meet the global challenges of access to affordable habitat, clean water and energy, significant advances in science, engineering and technology of materials are required in next few decades.

Education:  Realizing its importance, materials science is taught as a subject in various undergraduate and post graduate curriculums of science and engineering stream. If one is interested in engineering and technology of materials one should opt for a four year degree in metallurgy and materials science offered by several of IITs and NITs including NIT Srinagar and few of the state level engineering colleges.

The Indian Institute of Metals offers Government recognized Degree Level Course (Associate Member of Indian Institute of Metals, AMIIM) in Metallurgy for persons working in industries / institutes, related to metallurgy and keen in enhancing their educational qualification by appearing at the Part-I & II AMIIM Examinations of the Institute. AMIIM qualification is considered equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech. degree in Metallurgy, as approved by MHRD, UPSC, IITs and other reputed Engineering / Technological Institutes in India.

Several universities like Anna, Cochin, Andhra, Devi Ahilya  and Sardar Patel cater interdisciplinary masters in materials science. M.Tech. in Solid state Electronic materials is offered at IIT Roorkee.  Jawahar Lal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore offers integrated (M.Sc. plus Ph.D.) research degree in materials science. Students with Bachelor degree in any branch of science and graduate engineers with an aptitude towards scientific research are eligible. Selected students are awarded suitable fellowships. Applications are invited in March every year.

Post B.Sc. integrated doctoral programme in materials science is also offered by recently established Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISERs) at Kolkata, Pune and Mohali centres. National Chemical Laboratory (NCL),  National Physical  Laboratory (NPL),  Institute of Physics,  Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, , Raman Research Institute,  Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science,  Advanced Materials and Processing Research Institute, IISc, TIFR, IITs and NITs conduct research in various branches of materials science and engineering.  The prestigious Dr. K. S. Krishnan research associateship for a period of two years is awarded every year in materials science stream also.

Professional Bodies: (i) Indian Institute of Metals, established in 1946, is the highest professional body of metallurgists in India. The Institute activities include mineral beneficiation, extraction, fabrication, heat treatment, finishing as well as practical and theoretical aspects of metallurgy of all ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys. Ceramics, materials science and other disciplines and technologies allied to metallurgical problems also come under the scope of the Institute. (ii)  Materials Research Society of India.

Job opportunities: Metallurgical engineers and materials scientists find openings in steel, aluminium and copper  industry. A suggestive list include  Jawahar Lal Nehru Aluminium  Research  Development and Design Centre, Uranium Corporation of India,  National Minerals development Corporation Ltd.,  Atomic Minerals Directorate of Exploration and Research, National Institute of Rock Mechanics, Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Gallium Arsenide Enabling Technology Centre, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Engineers India Ltd., Institute of Plasma Research, DRDO,  Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Department of Atomic Energy’s Orientation Course for Engineering graduates and Science post graduates (OCES) and Graduate fellowship Scheme (DGFS) for selection of trainee Scientific Officers etc. Teaching and research positions in various universities and research institutes is also available.