How the Results of Material Engineering Can be Found in Everyday Objects.
The interdisciplinary field of materials engineering encompasses the study of all-natural and artificial materials, focusing on composition, structure and properties. These include metals, ceramics, glasses, polymers, semiconductors and composites.
Emphasising strong fundamentals in Mathematics and Engineering, materials engineering has a significant but sometimes underappreciated impact on the modern world. Many people do not realise that many high-quality products would not be possible without an in-depth understanding of material properties.
Quality of life
The entire world is now familiar with the precautionary steps taken in managing COVID-19, among which is the wearing of high-grade face masks. But did you know that it took a multidisciplinary team of engineers and researchers to evaluate and improve the filtration efficiency of face masks?
Face masks are largely taken for granted today, but the use of non-woven fabrics such as polypropylene was the result of an in-depth understanding of the material. Compared to cloth face masks, this new material's electrostatic charge greatly improves a mask's efficacy in capturing dust and other microscopic particles.
Our daily lives have also become less laborious thanks to the technological advancements of new materials. For instance, advanced industrial ceramics such as zirconia ceramic allow smartphones to have a durable backboard with excellent heat dissipation performance and appearance. This significantly improves the user experience compared to phones of the past.
If you are an athlete or someone who frequently uses sportswear, you would have also seen the evolution of sports accessories such as footwear, helmets, safety pads and guards.
When designing footwear, material engineers not only consider the characteristics the average user would like from the product but also how different users could benefit from using it. They may consider how the shoes perform in terms of shock absorption, mobility, and sole durability. These features aim to assist in injury prevention and overall optimise the athletic performance of the individual.
Environmental sustainability
Over time, advancements in technology have allowed us to push the boundaries of what's possible. Sustainable and convenient alternatives to single-use plastics are now a reality thanks to material engineering.
Many innovative plastic alternatives were developed by material engineers and researchers and have the potential to greatly cut down on plastic waste in our society if widely adopted.
For instance, beeswax wraps can replace plastic wraps, plastic bags, and resealable zipper storage bags. Beeswax wraps are coated with a mixture of jojoba or coconut oil, rosin, and food-grade beeswax. The average beeswax wrap can be used between 150 and 250 times before needing to be replaced. Due to its organic nature, it can also be tossed into the compost or organic bin. Such developments in engineering mean eco-friendly goods can become widely produced in the future.
Broad job prospects
Due to their in-depth understanding of the fundamental properties and behaviour of materials, graduates of material engineering can engage in research and development, design, testing, quality control, and production of materials and related products.
Additionally, the demand for material engineers who possess the skills to create environmentally friendly and sustainable products is increasing due to their rising demand. This opens up new opportunities for materials engineers to work in the aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and telecommunications industries.
Some job titles that are available for graduates of materials engineering include:
• Materials Engineer
• Metallurgical Engineer
• Composite Materials Engineer
• Polymer Engineer
• Ceramic Engineer
• Product Development Engineer
With a
Bachelor of Materials Engineering with Honours at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), students will be exposed to subjects such as Strength of Materials, Corrosion and Degradation of materials, and Materials Computational and Modelling. These subjects will provide you with a deeper understanding of the materials present in our everyday objects.
Subjects such as Green Composites, Joining of metals and non metals, and Phase Transformations in Metallic Materials provided at UTP will give students more information on how to revolutionise materials in a more environmentally-friendly direction.
For society to continue thriving, breakthroughs in product development are necessary and materials engineers are an important factor in this.
