MATLS 1M03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Thermal Insulation, Silicate Minerals, Thermal Conductivity

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Materials Science and Engineering
• Course: MATLS 1M03
• Professor: Rousseau Grandfield

Document Summary

Material 1m03 - lecture 1 - introductory lecture. Soliids which have a regular/ordered arrangement of constinuent atoms. Rare in nature for a pure single crystal to grow large enough to see: ruby/sapphire are exceptions as they are single crystals. Contain regions of ordered atomic arrangements that are broken up into smaller pieces (similar to sand grains) -> crystal grains. Crystal grains are generally invisible to the naked eye. Difference between sapphire and refractory brick is crystal grain size: sapphire:good thermal conductor; made of alumina; 1 big crystal, refractory brick: good thermal insulator; made of alumina; agglomerate of many small crystals. Introduction of grain boundaries into alumina has changed materials" appearance from transparent to opaque and its thermal conductivity from good to bad. Approximately 905 of earth"s crust is silicate minerals containing rocks. Silica is sio2 -> most stable configuration. Coordination number: number of neighbours surrounding an atom.