MCE 230 – Materials Science

Fall 2010

Lecture - 4
Atomic Structure
Bonding Forces
 Two types of bonding forces:
1. Attractive (FA ): particular type of bonding between two
atoms
2. Repulsive (FR ): forces come from the interaction between
electrons in the outer shells

 Both are function of the Interatomic distance (separation)

The net for FN = FA + FR

 When FA = FR then FN = 0 (equilibrium state at r0

(equilibrium spacing) )
Potential Energies
 One can use potential energies instead
 Bonding energy (E0 ) : the potential energy required to separate
the two atoms to an infinite separation ( potential energy at
equilibrium (at r0)

 Many material properties depend on; the magnitude of (E0 ), the

shape of energy shape and the type of bonding (melting point,
modulus of elasticity, thermal expansion, etc..)
 Types of Bonding
 Primary bonding: electrons are transferred or shared
 Secondary bonding: interaction of atomic dipoles ( no
electrons are transferred or shared)
 Primary Interatomic Bond
 Three different types of primary bond are found in solid:
1. Ionic
2. Covalent
3. Metallic

The nature of each bond depends on the electron

structure of its atoms
 Ionic Bond
 Between metallic and nonmetallic elements
 Electron transfer
 Between +ve and –ve ions

Na (metal) Cl (nonmetal)
unstable unstable
electron

Na (cation)
stable
+ - Cl (anion)
Coulombic stable
Attraction

 Characteristics: hard, brittle, electrically and thermally

insulative , and high melting point.
 Covalent Bond
 Adjacent atoms share electrons ( to reach stable state) en
 Examples: H2, F2, CH4, H2O, diamond (carbon), silicon.
 Possible number of covalent bonds = Capacity of outer
shell – number of valence electrons
 Characteristics: may be very strong and has a high
melting temperature (diamond), and may be weak and
has low melting temperature.

 It is possible to have Interatomic bonds that are partially

ionic and partially covalent
 Covalent Bond
CH4
Carbon
has 4 valence electrons
and needs 4 more to be
stable

Hydrogen
Has 1 valence electrons
and needs 1 more to be
stable
 Metallic Bond
 The valence electrons of
each atoms form an electron
cloud which is belonging to
the entire metal (all atoms )
(–ve in charge)
 The remaining nonvalence
electrons and nuclei are
called ion cores ( +ve in
charge )
Metallic Bond
 It is the primary bond in metals and their alloys
 Characteristics: bonding may be weak or strong,
good heat and electricity conductors
Secondary Bonds
 Very weak compare to the primary bonds

 Usually they exists between all atoms, but when one

of the primary bonding exists the effect of secondary
bond is negligible.

 It is due to interactions between dipoles ( a dipole

exists whenever there is some separation of positive
and negative portions within an atom or a molecule)
Secondary Bonds
1. Fluctuating induced dipole bonds
 Instantaneous and short-live distortions of the electrical
symmetry of atoms or molecules due to vibrational motion
 So small dipoles are formed
Secondary Bonds
2. Polar molecule induced dipole bonds
 Polar molecule has permanent dipole because of an
asymmetrical arrangement of positive and negative regions
within this molecule.

 Polar molecule may induce dipoles in an adjacent nonpolar

molecule to form a polar molecule induced dipole
 This bond is stronger than the fluctuating one
Secondary Bonds
3. Permanent dipole bonds
 Between adjacent polar molecules
 Significantly stronger than induced and fluctuating bonds
 Hydrogen bond is the strongest secondary bond ( occurs
between HF, H2O, NH3 molecules)
Bonding: Summary
 Ionic: bond energy is large
 Covalent: bond energy varies
 Metallic: bond energy varies
 Secondary: bond energy is the smallest
Bonding: Summary
 Ceramics: Covalent & Ionic Bonding
 Examples: Silicon Carbide (SiC)
 Large melting temperature (> 3000 °C)
 Large stiffness (E = 400 GPa)
 Small thermal expansion coefficient: 4.4x10-6 °C-1

 Metal: Metallic Bonding

 Example: carbon steel
 Moderate melting temperature (1300 °C)
 Moderate Stiffness (E = 207 GPa)
 Moderate Thermal expansion coefficient 11.5x10-6 °C-1
Bonding: Summary
 Polymers: Secondary Bonding
 Example: Polyethylene (HD)
 Low melting temperature (137 °C)
 Low stiffness (E = 1.08 GPa)
 High thermal expansion coefficient (150x10-6 °C-1)
Crystalline Structure
Structure of Solids
 The structure of the material is the way its atoms
are arranged.
 Types of solid structure:
 Crystalline: where atoms are arranged in a repeated or
periodic way ( metals, some polymer and many
ceramics)

 Noncrystalline: (amorphous): ( some polymers and

some ceramics)
Unit cell
 Unit Cell: the smallest arrangement of atoms that
is repeated (basic structural unit or building
block)
 The unit cell defines the structure through:
 Geometry
 Atoms positioning within the unit cell
Unit cell
 Atoms Positioning
 Number of “whole” atoms belonging to the unit cell
 Coordination number: number of touching neighbor
atoms
 Atomic Packing Factor (APF): how much the unit cell
volume is filled with atoms

 Relation between the atomic radius and the unit cell

dimension
 Crystal
Systems

Lattice parameters
 Metallic Structures
 FCC: Face Centered Cubic
 Aluminum, Copper, Gold, Nickel

 BCC: Body Centered Cubic

 Iron, Chromium, Tungsten

 HCP: Hexagonal Closed Packed

 Titanium, Zinc, Cobalt