Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives To develop an understanding of the basic properties of metals, polymers and certain ceramics, sufficient to enable discussion of the environmental issues of material usage, such as total energy consumption from cradle to grave and the economics of recycling.
Synopsis Structure of crystalline materials, solid solutions, basic alloy theory, phase diagrams, interactions between and alloys formed from metals commonly found in the recycling stream. Structure and properties of polymers, the effects of blending of polymers, properties of blends of commodity polymers from the recycling stream. Structure and properties of glass. Glass recycling. An introduction to materials processing and reprocessing. Simple energy requirement considerations, comparing processing/recycling operations of metals, ceramics and polymers.
Assessment Examination: 60% + Assignments: 15%, Practical reports: 10% + Oral presentation: 15%