r/materials

Hi everyone,
I am preparing for a major science and engineering research competition (ISEF). I want to focus on developing a nano-coating or a material-based solution that solves a real, costly problem in mega petrochemical plants.

Specifically, I am looking for issues faced by plants located in coastal, hyper-arid environments (extreme heat, high humidity, and high salinity/marine environment).

Engineers here, what are the most frustrating or costly routine issues you face regarding:

Heat exchanger scaling or efficiency drops due to harsh weather?

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) or atmospheric corrosion on mechanical equipment?

Solar panel degradation or drastic efficiency loss due to the combination of high ambient heat, humidity, and dust/soiling?

I would love to hear what kind of "routine headaches" you deal with that could be solved or optimized with better material science or chemistry. Thanks in advance!

Which one should I choose between IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore for Materials Science? Also, I didn’t do any research work during my B.Tech, and I’m an average-scoring student. Are there any alumni or seniors here who can guide me? I’m really confused.

My primary focus is placements, but I also want to explore research a little. As of now, I can’t really decide whether research is for me or not.

I’m also a little unsure about whether I’ll be able to cope with the IISc curriculum, as I’m guessing it is tougher compared to IIT Bombay.

Following the discussions under my previous MSCA video, I made another short video on a question that appeared repeatedly:

Why do technically strong MSCA proposals still get rejected?

The video discusses several recurring weaknesses observed in evaluation reports and reviewer comments, including:

• vague objectives,
• weak impact sections,
• poor implementation planning,
• generic host justification,
• and proposal readability.

One recurring point is that MSCA evaluation is often not only about the science itself, but also about the applicant’s potential for research independence, long-term impact, and fit within the European research ecosystem.

Interested to hear perspectives from others who applied for MSCA or similar European fellowships.

What do you think are the most underestimated reasons proposals fail?

i want to make business cards to hand out at career fairs for my university. i am a material science and engineering student, and i want to use an interesting material for the cards because of that, i think it'll set me apart a bit. I'm thinking some sort of super flexible polymer that snaps back to shape, does such a thing exist and can it be used for a business card? I have access to CO2 lasers for imprinting on the cards at my university.

Hello, I just finished up my second year of college. I have a lot of free time this summer to gather information on what scholarships, internships, and even fellowships to look into. Does anyone here have some sort of master list for any of those things, so that I can begin compiling what I need to apply to, and ideally secure an internship (and maybe also some scholarships as well).

I recently uploaded a detailed breakdown of how I won a Marie Curie MSCA grant with a SHERPA proposal scoring 94.20%.

In the video, I go through:
• The real Evaluation Summary Report
• What reviewers liked and criticized
• Excellence, Impact, and Implementation sections
• Common MSCA proposal mistakes
• Gantt charts, dissemination strategy, and knowledge transfer
• Practical proposal-writing tips from a real funded application

I also discuss how competitive MSCA calls are becoming and what applicants can do to improve their chances.

The project itself focuses on self-healing perovskite photovoltaics and micro-concentrator architectures beyond the Shockley–Queisser limit.

I hope this can help future applicants preparing MSCA or Horizon Europe proposals.

Would love to hear feedback from others who applied for MSCA or European grants.

So I’ve just finished my freshman year of college and am heading into my sophomore year where I will begin MS&E. My university has a program where you aren’t placed into a major until your second year.

I’m having doubts though because when I tell people my major, the first response I often get is “What even is that?” I also often hear that I’m going to need to go to grad school, which I really don’t think I can afford.

Basically I’m just wondering if a Bachelors is going to be enough to land a job. (Also specifically I live in Texas, so I’m not sure what the job market is like in my state for Materials Science either).

Hey guys I’m looking for a heavy duty shrink wrap material that’s both cut proof/abrasion resistant and thin. Something that can be purchased in large rolls. If you know of anything let me know thanks.

I am currently a masters student in MSE and I am realizing my materials knowledge is very lacking (I’m quite early in my masters). I never took a materials course in my undergrad and figured my physics background would have me covered… I was wrong.

Does anyone know any good resources that can help me pick up the basic concepts of materials science quickly. I know a few textbooks I could read, but between my class load and working full time, I don’t have the time to read an entire textbook. I’m hoping for some video lectures similar to MIT OpenCourseWare, but it seems they don’t have anything on materials science.

TL;DR: I need resources other than just textbooks to help me quickly bolster my basic materials science knowledge.

Hi everyone, I want to share a small lesson I learnt recently because maybe it helps save someone's time.

I am a master student working on a simple corrosion comparison test. Not the advanced type Just salt spray chamber, different alloys, weight loss measurement. Initially, i thought my setup was wrong because results change every week.

…Same samples. Same solution. Still different corrosion rate.

I checked the temperature sensor, humidity control, even recalibrated the balance two times. Still the problem persisted.

Then my supervisor asked one question: what material is touching your samples?

I hadn`t considered that variable initially.

Inside the chamber I was using small holders with stainless steel balls to keep specimens separated. I bought them cheap online, I think from alibaba a long time ago when the lab budget was still low. The listing said “304 stainless”, so I never questioned it.

Later I tested one ball with handheld XRF.

It was not 304.

…..higher sulfur content and maybe recycled melt. Small thing but it changed local electrochemistry. Basically a tiny galvanic effect happening near samples. My corrosion data was fighting me because of fixture material, not specimens.

After replacing holders with verified material, results suddenly became stable. Same protocol now repeatable.

So lesson for beginners like me: materials science is sometimes about everything around experiment, not only the main sample.

Curious if others here had experiments ruined by unnoticed material contact or contamination?

Many people ask whether magnesium alloy can replace common aluminum alloys such as 6063 or 6061.

From a practical material-selection perspective, my view is:

If the original aluminum product uses 6063, then AZ31B magnesium alloy can often be considered as an alternative.

If the original aluminum product uses 6061, then AZ61 magnesium alloy may be a more suitable replacement option.

However, this does not mean we can simply copy the same design directly.

For example, compared with 6063 aluminum, AZ31B magnesium alloy may have comparable tensile strength in some applications, but its yield strength can be lower. So the replacement method depends on the product function.

If it is a decorative part or a non-load-bearing part, the original aluminum design may often be replaced with magnesium alloy without major structural changes.

But if it is a load-bearing product, such as a folding table, frame, bracket, or structural profile, the magnesium alloy profile may need some wall-thickness adjustment to meet the required strength.

Even when the wall thickness is increased, the final magnesium alloy product can still usually achieve weight reduction compared with aluminum. It may not always reduce weight by 30%, but a 20–25% reduction can still be valuable in many applications.

With current processing costs becoming more competitive, I think this is a good time for some aluminum alloy products to evaluate magnesium alloy replacement.

My basic view:

6063 aluminum → AZ31B magnesium alloy

6061 aluminum → AZ61 magnesium alloy

But every replacement project should be checked according to:

* load-bearing requirement

* wall thickness

* product structure

* processing method

* surface treatment

* cost target

* weight-reduction target

Magnesium alloy is not a “direct copy” replacement for aluminum, but with the right design adjustment, it can be a very practical lightweighting solution.

Would you consider magnesium alloy for aluminum replacement in your products?

According to their literature the Litelok has a "Barronium" composite armour that holds up to angle grinder attacks.

Is there a sheet material availalble that can offer a similiar resilience? And ideally can be waterjet cut.

Thanks!

Hello everyone,

I am a student of chemistry and unusually I am deeply interested in pursuing my higher studies in the field of Semiconductors and one broad topic interests me the most: Electronic Materials.

I have done a decent course on Fundamentals on Semiconductors & Devices. I am already working in a lab on solar cell materials and soon will be tackling a project on a specific electrical material that is quite on hype now. As told, I will and want to pursue my higher studies in Electronic Materials. From where should I start? Like which courses/topics should I learn to develop my fundamentals better? Which tools/softwares should I know that would be handy in this long journey?

I wish to pursue the path of academia ultimately with some brief industrial exposure.

Your valuable suggestions, advices and experiences are needed🙏🏻

Hey all! I am graduating next week with my masters in metallurgical and materials engineering. I haven't had any co-ops or internships. Instead, I worked on campus and as a server/bartender to support myself. I have applied to at least 100 jobs in the last 3 months alone. I have had 2 interviews so far and got to the final round with one company. Unfortunately, I still do not have a job. I am looking in the Denver-metro area for positions such as material scientist, quality engineer, project engineer, material technician, etc. I have also applied to some extractive metallurgy positions with mining companies.

I would like some advice both on my resume and ways to set me a part from other new grads in the application process. I feel like not having any internships or co-ops has hindered my resume. Although, I find that my experience in the restaurant industry and as a short course coordinator gives me a much more extensive history of client relations and communication skills that some other students do not have. I have made great connections with the coordinator positions but almost all are out of state so I have not reached out for job opportunities.

Basically, any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

https://preview.redd.it/51waxzvfzc0h1.png?width=976&format=png&auto=webp&s=21afc4a1ce84c7ed258afcc51a9925861985574f

Currently a first year student in for BS in Chem, my tentative plan is to inherit a company which produces and sells copper ion mitigation systems that treat biofouling. My dad wants me to get a BS in chem or ChemE but also wants me to be educated enough incase he wants to pivot into batteries into the future… Does a BS in Chem and Master in MSE even make sense? It’s a path I’m considering because MSE sounds very interesting and has relations to his requests.