Metallurgical and Materials Engineering is a branch of science and technology that encompasses the investigation, development, and application of the necessary processes for obtaining materials with desired properties from natural resources and/or secondary raw materials, and for modifying the shape and properties of these materials; the production or selection of the most suitable material for use; and the study of materials' behavior during use and their protection from adverse effects.
Humanity's first contact with metals dates back to ancient times. It is thought that the use of wrought copper first occurred around 4500 B.C., and that copper could only be produced from ores 2000 years later. It is noteworthy that iron was used after gold, silver, and copper, but unlike the others, its discovery location was kept a secret. This is because iron is harder than bronze (copper mixed with tin) which was obtained previously by smelting copper-tin ores together, and it possesses superior properties for weapon manufacturing.
Although today's cast irons were produced much earlier through different methods, the production of high-carbon iron alloys and the subsequent reduction of their carbon content—i.e., achieving the properties of today's steel—was only accomplished in the last two centuries. The shift from wood to coal in the late 18th century and the first production of steel from liquid pig iron with the Bessemer Process in the mid-19th century played a major role in this. Subsequently, developments in the field of iron and steel advanced at a breathtaking pace.
Although the discovery and production of metals followed the order of copper, bronze (copper+tin), brass (copper+zinc), and iron, this order is not the same everywhere in the world. In some places, the Iron Age is seen to come first. What is true in this regard is that the first contact of the local population with these metals was entirely accidental and dependent on the regional characteristics. The discovery of mercury dates back as far as copper, and the Romans used it for the extraction of gold using the "Amalgamation" technique. Although pure zinc was not discovered until the last century, it is known that the Romans used it in the form of a brass alloy by smelting it mixed with copper ores. Aluminum production became possible only starting from 1886, and magnesium from the mid-20th century. The years of World War II were the era when strategic metals such as uranium, beryllium, niobium, titanium, and zirconium were discovered.
Metal production in Anatolia dates back to very ancient times. It is understood that copper was produced around 7000 B.C. (the oldest date for copper in China and Europe is 4000 B.C.), and based on the existing ancient slag heaps, Anatolia can be considered the starting point for the spread of copper to the ancient world. It is also known that around 3000 B.C. in Anatolia, silver and lead were first produced from argentiferous-lead ores near Trabzon, and that some of the silver produced at that time was even exchanged for Egyptian gold. It is also known that the currently operating Ergani copper deposits were worked by the Assyrians around 2000 B.C., the Küre copper mine by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, and the Bolkardağı lead-silver mine by the Hittites between 2500 and 3000 B.C. Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans were the first peoples to use copper, gold, iron, lead, mercury, silver, and tin.
Almost all easily locatable mineral deposits have been rapidly depleted, and today, the situation has arisen where non-ferrous metals, in particular, must be produced using more difficult and complex methods. Considering that the amount of metal consumed in the first quarter of the last century was greater than the total consumed throughout history, it is understood that technological development and increasing demand have spurred the solution of many problems in this area. As civilization progressed, much more complex processes were needed for the production of metals from ores, and various production methods were developed depending on the type of metal. The role played by metals in human history and the possibilities for their utilization are directly related to the knowledge about metals. Even today, a society's economic and industrial standing in the world is indicated by the per capita amount of metal used.
Almost everything used in daily life consists of materials. These materials either occur naturally or are obtained through different production methods. The production, characterization, and development of metal, ceramic, polymer, and composite materials using different raw materials; their selection for a specific design and application area; the investigation of new application areas; and the improvement of the environmental impact of metallurgical processes are also within the scope of metallurgical and materials engineering.
The creation of new designs with superior properties in many engineering and other fields is only possible through the development of new materials. The developments seen in recent years in many areas such as nanotechnology, nuclear technology, semiconductor technologies, new energy sources (boron, hydrogen, etc.), biomaterials, and electroceramics are a result of this.
Especially in recent years, the importance of metallurgical and materials engineering has been increasing both globally and in our country, and as a result, people educated in this field have found employment opportunities in many different production sectors at higher rates than in the past. Parallel to the development of our country in many areas, particularly industry, the need for metallurgical and materials engineers will continue. Consequently, there is a need to train metallurgical and materials engineers who can successfully undertake production, application, and R&D activities in various industry and research institutions at national and international levels. Integrated and non-integrated metal production facilities (iron and steel, aluminum, copper, etc.), the casting sector, the ceramics sector, the refractories industry, the glass industry, the machinery manufacturing industry, the metal forming sector, surface treatments and coating industry, the defense industry, the automotive sector, aircraft and ship manufacturing industry, relevant departments of universities, quality control, and inspection companies are the main fields where metallurgical and materials engineers can work.
Our University's Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, established with consideration of the advanced refractories, machinery, casting, and ceramics industries in Çorum, will not only meet the need for engineers in line with national and international requirements but will also contribute to the further advancement of Çorum's industry through laboratory facilities, academic consultancies, and university-industry collaborations.
The Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, established within the Faculty of Engineering of our University in 2006, started its education and training in the 2012-2013 Academic Year with 47 students. Our department has 5 faculty members, including 2 professors and 3 associate professors; 2 research assistant doctors and 1 research assistant.
