APSC 131 - Chemistry and Materials

This course introduces engineering materials and process thermodynamics, with particular emphasis on the central role of chemistry in society’s pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The first unit focuses on structure / property relationships of engineering materials such as metals, semiconductors, ceramics, glasses and polymers. In addition to mechanical properties, specific attributes such as conductivity, photovoltaic activity, viscoelasticity and chemical stability are examined in the context of engineering design decisions. The pressure-volume-temperature dependences of liquid and gas phase properties are also studied. The second unit focuses on the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics as they relate to engineering processes involving heat and work. State functions such as internal energy, enthalpy and entropy are used to define efficiency limitations in energy conversion devices such as engines and heat pumps.