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Those parts of Chemistry, Physics, Geology, or even Biology that deal with the physical properties of materials. This is often in the context of applied science, in which the properties under study have some industrial purpose.
Materials Science encompasses all materials classes, the study of each of which may be referred to as a separate field: metals and metallurgy, ceramics, semiconductors and other electronic materials, polymers. Materials Science as a discipline evolved out of the recognition that a common core of knowledge applied to each of these materials classes.
Metallurgy and ceramics have long and separate histories as engineering disciplines, but because the science which underlies these disciplines applies to all materials classes, materials science is recognized as a distinct discipline.
Materials science is related to materials engineering. Materials engineering connotes a focus on processing techniques ( casting, rolling, welding, ion implantation, crystal growth, thin film deposition, sintering, glassblowing, etc. ), analytical techniques ( electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, calorimetry, etc.) materials design and cost / benefit tradeoffs in industrial materials production.
Core Topics in Materials Science
Below is a short list of topics which are an intimate part of Materials Science.
Thermodynamics, for phase stability, phase transformations and phase diagrams.
Kinetics, applied to the rates of phase transformations and diffusion.
Crystallography and the use of diffraction techniques for phase identification.
Solid State Mechanics, for understanding plastic deformation of solids and fracture.
Solid State Physics, for understanding electrical properties of materials.
Defects in Crystals, such as grain boundaries and dislocations, and their effects on physical properties.