The innovation of materials, starting from their design, through their production processes, to their transformation into sustainable and effectively marketable products is one of the pillars of the Industry 4.0 paradigm. Indeed, materials are the indispensable platform on which to base the development of new technologies. At the same time the economic and environment sustainability of materials/products manufacturing and transformation routes is a key enabling factor to claim for the future of our world and of our society. Within this framework, this course, that is mainly focused on composite materials (both polymeric and ceramic matrixes) for engineering applications and advanced engineering steels, provides graduates with the scientific fundamentals of major composite engineering materials and, for steel, their related primary manufacturing processes, considering how the production technology can influence the ultimate properties and service performance of materials. The current market steel product availability of materials chemistry and products (e.g. blocks, plates, wires, etc.) will be discussed as well as the trends for next future development. The application driven methodology for materials selection will be given to students: how to define technical requirements for materials according to specific application needs. Further to theoretical study of the properties of different materials, laboratory activities and design calculations will develop the ability to apply the acquired knowledge to the critical study of materials properties and how they relevantly apply to the different engineering applications. With the aim of fostering a robust understanding of the relationship between material properties and in-service performance in different application areas, at the end of the course, the students know: - the common matrixes and reinforcements used for composites; - the fundamental information about the microstructure-processing-properties relationship for composite materials; - how to produce and how to test a composite material; - advanced steels: properties, related applications and relative added value with respect to the application; - modern steelmaking in relation to the devoted market sector and to the environment impact; - role of heat treatment processes and related technologies on advanced steel properties; - basic micro- and macro-mechanics models of metallic and composite materials.

Knowledge and understanding: Through lectures, seminars, educational visits and experimental labs, the student will learn the science and technology of fiber-reinforced composites, ceramic matrix composite and advanced steels and their metallurgical processes. Applying knowledge and understanding: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to apply his/her knowledge to the selection of constituent phases (matrix and fiber) to obtain composites and advanced steels with specific properties, relevant to different field applications. Making judgments: Through written reports and open presentation of the lab activities, the student will be able to understand, discuss collectively and critically, as well as to expose, the results obtained in the experimental laboratories. Communication skills: Written reports improve the ability of presenting experimental data and general understanding in an effective and concise way; group presentations allow to express the acquired concepts with an appropriate language and to hold a discussion about the course topics. Learning skills: the activities described so far, allow the students to acquire the methodological tools that are necessary to continue their educational career and to become familiar with the ever-continuing update on scientific achievements that is required in cutting-edge technological fields.

The following knowledge and skills are required for the correct use of the teaching: - Basic knowledge of material properties and their correlation with structure and microstructure (acquired at PoliTo in Materials Science and Technology and Metallic Materials lectures). - Basic knowledge of thermal and mechanical properties of thermosetting and thermoplastic polymeric materials (acquired at PoliTo in the Science and Technology of Polymeric Materials lectures). - Basic knowledge of characterization methods for polymeric/metallic/ceramic materials (acquired at PoliTo in the Materials Science and Technology and Metallic Materials lectures).

The course will aim at describing: - microstructure, properties, and specific characterization methods for fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), with an emphasis on high-performance polymer matrixes reinforced with continuous fibers; - microstructure and properties of ceramic matrix composites (CMC); - understanding the steel world: steel grades for different applications, relative added value, related primary and secondary steelmaking routes and heat treatments role. Frontal teaching activities will be backed by numerous lab activities designed to help students to understand the most important properties of the materials under study and to familiarize students with the tests currently used for the validation of new materials both at R&D level and at manufacturing level. In particular: (a) lectures on FRP materials will follow the following programme: - Introduction. Preliminary information on composites, historical evolution and applications. - Polymeric matrixes. Basic knowledge on plastics: classifications, definitions and properties of unreinforced plastics. Time-temperature-transformation diagram for thermoset resins. Lab on thermal and mechanical properties: DSC and DMA. Evaluation of Tg, optimization of cure cycle, effect of temperature and creep phenomena. - Reinforcements. Basic knowledge on glass fibers, carbon fibers, emerging polymeric fibers: classification, properties and effect on the polymer matrix properties (isotropic and anisotropic composites). Lab on microstructure: determination of volume fractions for fibers, resin, and pores in FRPs. - Basic micro- and macro-mechanics models: from properties and volume fractions of the constituent phases to the stiffness matrix of a single lamina to the stiffness matrix of a laminate to correlate applied loads to stress distribution. Numerical examples. Lab on mechanical properties: tensile test, flexural test. Effect of fiber orientation and volume fraction. Effect of stacking sequence in laminates. - Non-destructive test (NDT): ultrasonic, x-ray, acoustic emission, thermal, optical, electrical methods. - Degradation and end of life. (b) lectures on CMC materials will follow the following programme: - Ceramic matrixes: crystalline, amorphous and vetroceramics. - Main industrial example of CMC. (c) lectures dedicated to the steel world will follow the following programme: - Recall on traditional steels, their application and relative economic values. - Advanced Steels: properties, related applications and relative added value with respect to the application. - Modern Steelmaking in relation to the devoted market sector. - Powder Metallurgy as manufacturing route for steel semi-products. - Decarburization challenge for Steel. - Advanced heat treatment processes: atmospheric, vacuum and low pressure technologies and processes. Educational visits and seminars by industry representatives will be organized depending on the availability of companies.

The course includes: (i) frontal teaching activities supported by last-generation multimedia systems. The didactic material is uploaded before each lecture on the course platform; (ii) experimental labs to understand and practice how composites are produced and tests at R&D level; (iii) educational visits; (iv) seminars held by industry representatives. The lab activities will be presented in a short report by each group of students and critically discussed during the course.

- Ever J. Barbero. “Introduction to composite materials design” - Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2018. - L. Carlsson, D. Adams, B. Pipes. “Experimental characterisation of advanced composite materials”, CRC Press. - Mel M. Schwartz. Composite Materials, Volume I: Properties, Non-Destructive Testing, and Repair, Prentice Hall

Modalità di esame: Prova orale facoltativa; Elaborato progettuale in gruppo; Prova scritta in aula tramite PC con l'utilizzo della piattaforma di ateneo;

Exam: Optional oral exam; Group project; Computer-based written test in class using POLITO platform;

... The course Materials for Advanced Manufacturing (12 CFU) consists of two modules Materials for Advanced Manufacturing I (8 CFU, first teaching period) and Materials for Advanced Manufacturing II (4 CFU, second teaching period). The examinations of the two modules are separate and contribute with weighted average to determine the final grade of the course. For module Materials for Advanced Manufacturing I, the grading system is different for attending and non-attending students. For attending student: the grading system includes evaluation of lab report and related discussion (8/30); TBL activities (6/30); written test (16/30); and optional oral test. The written test (1 hr) is based on a questionnaire with eight multiple choice questions (8/16), one open question (4/16) and one exercise (4/16) that are addressed to verify the student’s learning and knowledge of the course content. The evaluation of the multiple choice questions considers only the correct answers; no negative points will be applied for wrong or missing answers. The use of any support material is not allowed for the entire duration of the test. The minimum mark for passing the written exam is 10. The optional oral test, that is also addressed to verify the student’s learning and knowledge of the course content, consists of an interview, approximately 15 minutes long, on the course program. Should the oral test be undertaken, the final mark could be increased or decreased by a maximum of 2 points. For non-attending student: the grading system includes written test and optional oral test. The written test (2 hrs) is based on a questionnaire with 16 multiple choice questions (16/30), two open questions (8/30) and one exercise (6/30) that are addressed to verify the student’s learning and knowledge of the course content. The evaluation of the multiple choice questions considers only the correct answers; no negative points will be applied for wrong or missing answers. The use of any support material is not allowed for the entire duration of the test. The minimum mark for passing the written exam is 18. The optional oral test, that is also addressed to verify the student’s learning and knowledge of the course content, consists of an interview, approximately 15 minutes long, on the course program. Should the oral test be undertaken, the final mark could be increased or decreased by a maximum of 2 points.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.