A laboratory course, "Properties of Engineering Materials," has been developed for mechanical engineers. The goals of the new course are: (1) To show the effects of structure and mechanical processing on material properties, (2) To show the differences between the behavior of metals, polymers and composites, (3) To become familiar with standard experimental techniques, and (4) To show the importance of these effects and differences in design and manufacturing. The equipment required for this project includes an impact machine and a computer controlled tensile machine suitable for testing ductile polymers and elastomers. These make possible the study of new polymer and composite materials, especially the internal damping and creep behavior that occurs at room temperature. Also the effects of material processing on mechanical properties can be investigated. The award is being matched by an equal amount from the principal investigator's institution.
