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Materials science encompasses four classes of materials, the study of each of which may be considered a separate field:

1. metals
2. ceramics
3. polymers
4. composites

Materials science is often referred to as materials science and engineering because it has many applications. Industrial applications of materials science include processing techniques ( casting, rolling, welding, ion implantation, crystal growth , thin-film deposition, sintering, glassblowing, etc.), analytical techniques ( electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, calorimetryCalorimetry is the science of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes. Calorimetry involves the use of a calorimeter. Constant-volume Constant-volume calorimetry is calorimetry performed at a constant volume. This involves the use of, nuclear microscopy (HEFIB)Nuclear microscopy uses a device called a microprobe. A microprobe is a device that uses electromagnetic or electrostatic lenses to focus an ion beam. In this way a microprobe is very similar to a scanning electron microscope. Some difference are that the etc.), materials design, and cost/benefit tradeoffs in industrial production of materials.

1 Sub-fields of materials science

• NanotechnologyNanotechnology as a collective term refers to technological developments on the nanometre scale, usually 0. One nanometre equals one thousandth of a micrometre or one millionth of a millimetre. The term sometimes applies to any microscopic technology. --- the creation and study of molecularly engineered materials ( nanomaterials) with structures on the length scale of nanometersA nanometre ( American spelling: nanometer is 10−9 metres—or one billionth of a metre. Its symbol is nm . It is an SI measure of length, commonly used in measuring the wavelengths of visible light, ultraviolet radiation and gamma rays; amongst other.
• CrystallographyCrystallography is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of atoms in solids. In older usage, it is the scientific study of crystals. Crystallographic methods all rely on the analysis of the diffraction patterns that emerge from a sample --- the study of the physics of crystals, including
  • defects in crystalsCrystalline solids have a very regular atomic structure: that is, the local positions of atoms with respect to each other are repeated at the atomic scale. These arrangements are called crystal structures, and their study is called crystallography. Howeve, such as grain boundaries and dislocations, and their effects on physical properties;
  • diffraction techniques, such as x-ray crystallography, which are used for phase identification.
• Metallurgy --- the study of metals
• Ceramics, which includes semiconductors and other electronic materials
• Biomaterials --- materials that can be used in the human body
• Tribology --- the study of the wear of materials due to friction and other factors

Note that some practitioners often consider rheology a sub-field of materials science, because it can cover any material that flows. However, a typical rheology paper covers non-Newtonian fluid dynamics, so we place it as a sub-field of Continuum mechanics. See also granular material.