Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Secretary: Xanthi Toutounzoglou
Secretary's Office:
Tel.: +30 26510 97202, 97217
Fax: +30 26510 97034
E-mail: 
Website: http://www.materials.uoi.gr/
General - Aim of the Department
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is the only Materials Department in Greece with a five-year study programme on a full-time basis. Studies include a compulsory six-month diploma thesis. The aim of the Department is to offer students a high standard of education and training in Materials Science and Engineering. Through the educational process, it is intended that students acquire the knowledge to produce, study and design technological materials that are useful for the development of society. This dictates the need to teach theoretical and laboratory courses on the structure, properties and treatment of materials. Upon completing their studies, students will be able to design a product based on the selection of suitable materials in the best way for the given application, and be in a position to study the structure-properties relation of materials, which is the essence of Materials Science. Also, they can apply different treatments with the aim of altering the structure of materials in order to achieve the desirable properties, which is the essence of Materials Engineering.
Structure of the Department - Sections
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering offers the following three basic options (Sections):
A) Building and Industrial Materials:
This option includes metals, ceramics, concrete and composite materials.
B) Functional Materials:
This option includes polymers and biomedical applications. The following materials fall into the category of polymers: plastics, petrochemicals, lubricants, rubber, coatings and paint.
C) Electronic Materials:
This option includes semiconductive, magnetic and superconductive materials, and applications such as sensors, microelectromechanical systems, solar cells, semiconductor laser, light-emitting diodes and magnetic discs.
The above three options include a range of subject areas, both theoretical and experimental, closely related to the applications of materials.
Laboratories
The Department's Study Programme includes a significant number of compulsory and elective laboratory courses as follows:
Compulsory Laboratories
- General chemistry
- Optics and physical measurements
- Engineering drawing
- Instruments and techniques
- Ceramic and composite materials
- Metallurgy
- Electronic materials
- Polymers
- Mechanical behaviour and quality control of materials
- Physical chemistry
- Computers
Elective Laboratories
- Technical description of materials
- Non-destructive testing
- Nanotechnology
- Computer simulation
Subject Areas
Graduates of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering will have received education and training in the composition and study of structure and properties, as well as in the design and processing of a wide range of materials.
The Department's Study Programme includes theoretical and laboratory courses on the structure, properties and processing of materials. The focus of the training provided includes materials such as metals, polymers, ceramics, as well as composite, magnetic, optical and electronic materials. The Study Programme includes four main groups of courses:
(a) Basic courses in the direction of physics or chemistry (mathematics, chemistry, physics, thermodynamics, physical chemistry, statistical and numerical analysis, computers, finance, technical drawing).
(b) Core courses in materials science and engineering, independently of the categories of materials. Examples of courses:general materials science, solid state physics, materials mechanics, fluid mechanics, current transformation, diffusion / transfer phenomena, physical and chemical processes of materials, electrical-magnetic-optical properties, surfaces/interfaces, micro/ nanotechnology, materials macrotechnology and the appropriate laboratory courses.
(c) Courses on special materials categories, which cover building and industrial materials, functional materials and electronic materials.
(d) Courses on computational techniques and simulations adapted to materials science and engineering, which aim at understanding the properties of materials and at designing new advanced materials.
Training on ceramic materials includes helping students to become familiar with the methods of preparing and studying the properties of traditional, advanced and new ceramics. Learning the methods of processing ceramic raw materials, including concrete, and their uses in the production of new materials with high added value constitutes a significant part of the educational process. Special emphasis has been placed on learning new methods and techniques (for the preparation, formation, drying and burning) in order to introduce competitive technologies to the Greek market.
Instruction in metallic materials aims at familiarising students with applied metallurgical technologies, forming a better understanding of the interdependence of the triptych of structure - properties - method of production, as well as at understanding the role of the environment in the industrial process and technological development.
Instruction in polymer materials aims at acquainting students with the chemistry (composition, modification) of polymers, the physical chemistry of polymer solutions and blends, the structure and behaviour of polymers in viscoelastic and solid state, as well as the definition and technology of polymers.
Instruction in electronic materials focuses on the detailed description of the electrical, optical and magnetic properties of semiconductive, superconductive and magnetic materials, as well as on the design, composition, construction and definition of contemporary electronic devices, micro- and nano- electromechanical systems and sensors with high-tech methods, such as microelectronics, optoelectronics and nanotechnology. Also, contemporary computational simulation methods and codes are used to design new materials and create a better understanding of their properties.
Members of Academic Staff
Konstantinos Beltsios, Professor, Composite, Membranes and Ceramic Materials
Dimitris Fotiadis, Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Vassilios Kalpakidis, Professor, Continuous Media Mechanics (Theoretical Direction)
Michael Karakassides, Professor, Ceramics, Composites and Porous Materials
Theodoros Matikas, Professor, Mechanical Behaviour of Surfaces - Interfaces (Experimental Direction)
Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, Professor, Magnetic Materials
Simeon Agathopoulos, Associate Professor, Technology of Ceramic Materials
Apostolos Avgeropoulos, Associate Professor, Polymer Materials
Dimitrios Gournis, Associate Professor, Chemistry of Layered Materials (Experimental Direction)
Angeliki Lekatou, Associate Professor, Applied Metallurgy
Elefterios Lidorikis, Associate Professor, Computational Materials Science
Alkiviades Paipetis, Associate Professor, Experimental characterization and micromechanics of Composite Materials
Dimitrios Papageorgiou, Associate Professor, Computational Methods of Materials Science with emphasis on Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Eleftherios Skouras, Associate Professor, Semiconductive or Magnetic Materials
Georgios Zonios, Associate Professor, Optical Properties of Biomaterials
Nektaria-Marianthi Barkoula, Assistant Professor, Durability of Composite Materials in Thermo-Mechanical and Environmental Loadings (Experimental Direction)
Demosthenes Fokas, Assistant Professor, Physical and Chemical Methods for the Production of Biomedical Compounds
Evangelos P. Hadjigeorgiou, Assistant Professor, Modelling of Non-Linear Behaviour of Materials
Christina Lekka, Assistant Professor, Simulations of the Atomic/Electronic Structure of Materials with emphasis on Surfaces-Interfaces (Theoretical Direction)
Dimitrios Papayannis, Assistant Professor, Theoretical Physical Chemistry
Nikolaos E. Zafeiropoulos, Assistant Professor, Polymer Engineering (Experimental Direction)
Konstantinos Dassios, Lecturer, Experimental Mechanics and Fracture of Materials
Leonidas N. Gergidis, Lecturer, Mathematical and Computer Modeling in Materials Engineering
Alexandros Karantzalis, Lecturer, Metallic Materials and Metals Engineering
The Department's teaching duties are supplemented by temporary teaching staff.
Career prospects - New fields of specialisation
The Department feels obligated to encourage graduates to become members of the Technical Chamber of Greece. The graduates of the Department are the only Materials Engineers in Greece. The industrial sector is expected to absorb the largest number of graduates of the Department. Employment prospects also include research centres, higher education institutions, as well as secondary and post-secondary education.
Students who choose to follow the field of building and industrial materials can find employment at plants that manufacture and sell ceramics, glass and composite products, such as tiles, building materials (bricks, roof tiles), absorbent materials, refractory materials, catering and sanitary ware, glass fibre and other fibres, building compounds (e.g. hulls), cement and concrete, ceramic filters/catalysts, dental implants, ceramic coatings, glass objects (e.g. sheet glass, containers, "crystal"), as well as at companies mining and trading raw materials. They could also work in sectors involving the design, research and development, quality control of materials and structures, as well as non-destructive testing in a wide range of plants in the metal materials sector (e.g. of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys such as steel, aluminium, copper, cast objects, malleable objects), metal product treatment and processing companies (e.g. steel reinforced concrete, soft-drink cans, aluminium profile, plumbing fittings), the aircraft industry, shipyards, metal manufacturing companies, the energy industry (e.g. refineries, petrochemicals), and as business consultants in issues of corrosion, quality assurance, etc.
Students who choose to follow the field of functional materials can find employment at plants that manufacture polymer macrotechnology products, such as three-dimensional utilitarian objects (e.g. furniture, device frames, car parts and various devices), packaging polymers (e.g. sheets, bottles, buckets), transparent and illuminated hard surfaces (e.g. display cases, sign-boards), yarn and fabrics, dyes, macrosynthetic materials, piping, insulation (electrical, thermal, humidity), casing, tiles, polymer lubricants and mineral oils, rubber parts and petrochemicals.
Students who choose to follow the field of electronic materials option will be able to work at electronics plants and especially at companies that manufacture photovoltaic systems, mobile telephones, high-frequency electronic circuits, at companies that manufacture contemporary lighting sources such as light-emitting diodes, and at companies that manufacture computational systems, metal pipes, superconductors as well as magnetic discs and sensors.
Postgraduate studies
As of November 2004, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has been running an Interdepartmental Postgraduate Study Programme (PSP) in conjunction with the Department of Chemistry, entitled: "Chemistry and Materials Technology". The programme aims at further specialisation in the subject modules of materials that are closely linked to the field of chemistry. At present, the Interdepartmental PSP numbers 40 postgraduate students who have graduated from higher education institutions and have the opportunity, after the completion of their studies, to obtain a master's degree and/or pursue their studies at doctoral level. At the same time, and independently of the Interdepartmental PSP, a significant number of doctoral theses on the various fields of materials is being carried out.
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