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Materials Science

Crystals, dislocations, phase diagrams, semiconductors and shape-memory alloys — explore the structure-property relationships of advanced materials.

📊 12 simulations 🆕 Category added 2026-05-16

🧪 Simulations (12)

🔩 Stress-Strain Curve ⚙️ Dislocation & Crystal Slip 🔩 Alloy Phase Diagram — Binary Eutectic ⚡ Semiconductor Band Structure — Conduction, Valence & Doping 🔩 Crystal Dislocations — Edge Defects, Burgers Vector & Hall-Petch 💎 Crystal Diffusion ⚡ Band Structure 🧲 Superconductivity 🔩 Shape Memory Alloy 🧬 Polymer Chain 🔮 Liquid Crystal ⚙️ Grain Growth — Metallic Microstructure

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is materials science?

Materials science studies the relationships between structure (atomic to micron scale) and properties (mechanical, electrical, optical, thermal) of solids — metals, ceramics, polymers, semiconductors and composites. It bridges physics, chemistry and engineering.

What are dislocations and why do they matter?

Dislocations are line defects in crystal lattices — extra half-planes of atoms or twists in the arrangement. They are the primary carriers of plastic deformation: a metal bends because dislocations move. The Frank-Read source, pile-ups and tangling explain work-hardening.

How do semiconductors get their special properties?

Pure silicon has a band gap of 1.1 eV — too few electrons cross thermally. Doping with phosphorus (n-type) or boron (p-type) adds charge carriers. The junction between n and p forms a diode. Band-structure simulations show the conduction and valence bands directly.

What is a shape-memory alloy?

Nitinol (NiTi) and similar alloys undergo a reversible martensite↔austenite phase transformation. Bend cold martensite, heat above transformation temperature — it returns to original shape. Used in stents, eyeglass frames and actuators. Hysteresis loop is the key behaviour.

What is a phase diagram?

A phase diagram maps which phase (or mixture) of an alloy exists at each composition and temperature. The eutectic point (lowest melting), lever rule (mass fractions), and miscibility gaps are read directly. Iron-carbon (steel) is the classic example.