In this blog post, we’ll explore how materials engineering has enabled the advancement of various technologies, highlighting its limitless potential and importance in future industries.
There’s a drink called Red Bull that you sometimes come across. It says, “Red Bull, gives you wings.” Just like Red Bull, materials engineering is a discipline that gives wings to other engineering and technological fields. As materials engineering advances, technologies in other fields also spread their wings and evolve. Humans have been developing new materials since the Stone Age. Materials play such a significant role in human history that we even divide eras—the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age—based on the materials used. In modern times, as mentioned, it has become a discipline that influences everything from everyday household appliances to spacecraft in outer space.
In a way, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering is a field with a somewhat vague focus. My original major was Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, and the focus of my studies there was entirely on designing the ideal ship—a direction quite different from what I’m studying now. In Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, the curriculum focuses on ship design and the stability of offshore structures, making it a discipline with a relatively clear objective. However, Materials Engineering—a department that has already been renamed “New Materials Engineering” at other universities—conducts research across various fields, each with its own distinct focus. Consequently, as an undergraduate, one studies materials engineering at a general, introductory level. It is only after entering graduate school that we specialize and conduct in-depth research in three distinct fields: metallurgy; semiconductors and displays—often referred to as “ceramics”; and polymer compounds—formerly the foundation of textile engineering—known as “polymers.” The courses taken at the undergraduate level are truly foundational: they are either required general education courses or core subjects in the discipline.
This was precisely why I switched majors. Unlike Naval Architecture, which focuses on a single area, Materials Science and Engineering is a major that allows me to study various fields before conducting research in the area I truly want to pursue. I wanted to make that choice after learning more than I did as an undergraduate. However, because the scope of choice is so broad and the field encompasses so many topics, it is difficult to define it and explain each area simply. Materials engineering studies the arrangement of atoms in materials through three major approaches: crystal structures (i.e., methods for identifying regular arrangements) and phase transition processes (simply put, the process by which water turns into ice and then into steam). Through this research, we identify the physical and chemical properties associated with these arrangements, pinpoint the most essential characteristics, and apply them.
As mentioned earlier, metallurgical engineering analyzes the atomic structures of various metals to develop effective smelting methods and create the various alloys required in our daily lives. Duralumin, an aluminum alloy used in aircraft, is a material developed in this field. Second, ceramic engineering covers a broad range of disciplines, from compounds containing silicon (Si), ceramics, and cement, to cutting-edge fields such as semiconductors and display materials, as well as materials related to human medicine. In particular, since silicon—the raw material for ceramics—is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, this field generates immense added value whenever new technologies are discovered and new materials are developed. Finally, there is the field of polymer compounds, which I introduced earlier. While this field used to focus on the narrower area of textiles, it is now referred to as the field of carbon compounds. Using organic compounds, it produces materials ranging from vinyl-related PVC and PET to plastics, as well as materials used in the pharmaceutical sector. Furthermore, given the vast range of variations and the large number of compounds inherent to carbon compounds, the potential for development is immense.
As such, materials engineering is involved in every aspect of our daily lives, ranging from the foundations of large-scale structures like steel and metal to micro-materials such as semiconductors and plastics. It is an engineering field that has had an absolutely massive impact on humanity, and because it plays a foundational role across all sectors, the importance of materials engineering is growing steadily. Furthermore, as demand for new materials increases with each passing century, the development of these materials has become so critical that it can determine a nation’s progress.
In particular, in the field of display research—which I intend to pursue as my career path—AMOLED displays, led by companies like Samsung and LG, have recently been gaining significant attention. AMOLED is a type of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) characterized by its ability to emit light on its own. Compared to the LCDs used previously, it offers sharper images, superior color reproduction, faster response times, reduced eye strain, and lower power consumption. Furthermore, unlike LCDs, AMOLEDs are self-emissive and do not require a backlight, making it possible to produce very thin displays. While ceramics—used in LCDs and PDPs—once dominated this field, the trend is gradually shifting as polymer and organic compounds are increasingly utilized across various sectors. Companies like Samsung and LG, which have developed technologies in line with this shift, have reaped the rewards of significantly higher market share compared to their competitors.
Given this trend, it seems that the importance of materials engineering cannot be overstated. My dream is to make even the smallest positive impact on the world during my lifetime. While this may be a simple aspiration, I believe that by majoring in materials engineering, I can certainly achieve that dream. Isn’t “materials engineering—the discipline that gives wings to the technology hidden in our daily lives”—truly fascinating?
Furthermore, materials engineering plays a crucial role in solving future energy challenges. To address the energy issues we currently face, we need efficient energy storage and conversion technologies. For example, next-generation battery technology, solar panels, and fuel cells all rely on advancements in materials engineering. These technologies can contribute to protecting the global environment by providing more efficient and eco-friendly energy solutions.
Additionally, the field of biomaterials engineering is a vital component of materials engineering. Biomaterials, such as artificial organs and bones, must possess biocompatibility with the human body. Through this, innovative medical technologies are being developed to replace or restore bodily functions. For instance, artificial joints, artificial blood vessels, and tissue engineering have all become possible thanks to advancements in materials engineering.
Therefore, materials engineering goes beyond simply developing new materials; it has established itself as a core technology for improving the quality of human life and building a sustainable future. For these reasons, majoring in materials engineering is a highly meaningful endeavor. Doesn’t the thought of how materials engineering could change the future of humanity fill you with excitement? Look forward to the limitless possibilities of materials engineering!
