Materials Science/Structure of Matter
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Structure of Matter [edit]
Atomic Structure and Bonding [edit]
Fundamentally, two types of bonding exist- bonds between atoms and bonds between ions. Bonds between atoms of nonmetals are covalent, meaning that they share a pair of electrons in the space between them. These two atoms are bound together and cannot be separated by simple physical means. If these two atoms have similar electronegativity, neither atom has more pull on the electron pair than the other. This type of covalent bond is called Non Polar. Examples of non polar covalent compounds are methane, carbon dioxide and graphite. In graphite, all atoms are identical and so no atom has stronger pull than any of the others. In methane, the carbon-hydrogen bonds are very slightly polar, and the polarities are cancelled because the bonds all point to the same locus. Further there exists a weaker type of bond called hydrogen bonds important in complex molecules such as proteins. These form weak bonds that give complex molecules like Chlorophyll its specific shape and properties. The kinds of bonds and the structure of the molecules affect the microscopic properties of substances.
Crystal Structure [edit]
Some of the properties of crystalline solids depends on the crystal structure of the material, the manner in which atoms, ions or molecules are spatially arranged.
Defects [edit]
Defects are the small gaps that develop between crystal layers where the continuation of the layer is interrupted by a boundary of a different crystal layer. Because the crystals do not perfectly align, small gaps are created in between the crystals where they meet. These gaps are called defects. Defects of materials are subject to intense study. However there are some methods to determine the source of defects and, if occurred, the size, shape and position of defects in the materials. There are: destructive testing methods and Non destructive testing methods (NDT).
