The metallurgy module aims to illustrate the main processes for steel production and provide an overview of the classification and nomenclature of steels and metal alloys, as well as introduce techniques for the preparation and observation of metallographic samples. The corrosion module aims to explain corrosive processes from both theoretical and practical perspectives, offering insight into typical problems in various environments and techniques for the prevention and protection of metallic materials in specific situations.
D1 - Knowledge and understanding: students will acquire knowledge of the main metallurgical processes and metal alloys of engineering interest, as well as the main types of corrosive phenomena, their causes, and prevention methods.
D2 - Apply knowledge and understanding: students will be able to recognize different metals, types of corrosive phenomena, and their causes.
D3 – Making judgements: students should be able to critically evaluate which metal alloy and which protection technique are most appropriate for a particular environment, application, or engineering component.
D4 - Communication skills: students will be able to describe, both in written and oral form, metallurgical properties, corrosive phenomena, and their prevention using appropriate language.
D5 - Learning skills: students will be able to interpret and utilize information obtained from manuals, product sheets, and technical regulations to select metal alloys for engineering components, as well as to design and size their protection against corrosive phenomena in specific environments.

Chemistry, Materials Science and Technology

Metallurgy. Theoretical Aspects: fundamentals of physical metallurgy and thermodynamics; Ellingham diagrams. Extractive Metallurgy of iron; blast furnace operation and chemical reactions; comparison between the integrated steelmaking cycle and direct reduction processes; overview of the extractive metallurgy of other technologically relevant metals. Refining: operating principles of the main autogenous and non-autogenous furnaces; electric furnaces; vacuum and controlled atmosphere converter furnaces. Metal alloys of engineering interest: classification and main properties.
Corrosion. Theoretical Aspects: definition of electrochemical cells and electrodes; electrochemical mechanism, reference electrodes and standard reduction potentials; Nernst equation. Thermodynamics: Pourbaix diagrams. Kinetics: corrosion rate, current density; overpotentials, Tafel equation; activation polarization; concentration polarization and limiting current; passivation phenomena; cathodic curves for hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction; Evans diagrams. Wet Corrosion: corrosion morphology, galvanic coupling, localized corrosion, selective corrosion, erosion-corrosion, fretting corrosion, environmentally assisted failure. Dry and High-Temperature Corrosion: equivalent circuit, protective oxides and oxidation kinetics, high-temperature coatings and refractory materials. Corrosive Environments: atmosphere, fresh water, seawater, soil, biological environments, concrete. Protection: classification of protective measures; modification of influencing factors: metal, environment, inhibitors; surface modification: cleaning treatments, coatings; paints and coatings: composition and protection mechanism, anticorrosive pigments; electrical protection
Laboratory: preparation and observation of metallographic samples; electrodeposition of metallic coatings; anodizing

METALLURGY
S. K. Dutta, Y. B. Chokshi, “Basic Concepts of Iron and Steel Making”, Springer, 2020, ISBN 978-981-15-2436-3
W. Nicodemi, “Metallurgia. Principi generali”, Zanichelli, 2007, ISBN 978-8808067876
F. Felli, C. Venditozzi, “Fondamenti di Metallurgia per l’Ingegneria”, Esculapio, 2019, ISBN 978-88-9385-096-4
M. V. Boniardi, A. Casaroli, "Metallurgia degli Acciai - parte prima" https://re.public.polimi.it/handle/11311/1235748
M. V. Boniardi, A. Casaroli, "Metallurgia degli Acciai - parte seconda" https://re.public.polimi.it/handle/11311/1235747

CORROSION
P. Pedeferri, “Corrosion Science and Engineering”, Springer, 2018, ISBN 978-3-319-97624-2
P. Pedeferri, “Corrosione e protezione dei materiali metallici”, Vol.1 e 2, Polipress, 2010, ISBN ‎ 978-8873980612
R. W. Revie, “Uhlig’s Corrosion Handbook”, Wiley, 2011, ISBN 978-0-470-08032-0
P. R. Roberge, “Handbook of Corrosion Engineering”, McGraw-Hill Education, 2019, ISBN 978-1-26-011696-0

Metallurgy. Theoretical Aspects: fundamentals of physical metallurgy (phase diagrams, strengthening mechanisms of metallic alloys, Hume-Rothery rules) and thermodynamics; Ellingham diagrams (construction and interpretation). Extractive Metallurgy: historical overview; extractive metallurgy of iron; blast furnace operation and chemical reactions; comparison between the integrated steelmaking cycle and direct reduction processes; overview of the extractive metallurgy of other technologically relevant metals. Refining: historical background and operating principles of the main autogenous converter furnaces (Bessemer, Thomas, oxygen converters) and non-autogenous furnaces (open hearth, Martin-Siemens); electric furnaces; vacuum and controlled atmosphere converter furnaces. Engineering Alloys: metal alloys of engineering interest (copper, aluminum, titanium, magnesium, and nickel alloys; introduction to shape memory alloys): classification and main properties.
Corrosion. Introduction: definition of corrosion, costs, damage, and examples. Theoretical Aspects: definition of electrochemical cells and electrodes; electrochemical mechanism, reference electrodes and standard reduction potentials; Nernst equation. Thermodynamics: Pourbaix diagrams (construction and interpretation). Kinetics: corrosion rate, current density; overpotentials, Tafel equation; activation polarization; concentration polarization and limiting current; passivation phenomena; cathodic curves for hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction; Evans diagrams (construction and interpretation). Wet Corrosion: corrosion morphology, galvanic coupling, localized corrosion (pitting, crevice corrosion), selective corrosion (dealloying, intergranular corrosion, sensitization of stainless steels), erosion-corrosion, fretting corrosion, environmentally assisted failure (stress corrosion cracking, corrosion fatigue, hydrogen embrittlement). Dry and High-Temperature Corrosion: equivalent circuit, protective oxides and oxidation kinetics, high-temperature coatings and refractory materials. Corrosive Environments: atmosphere, fresh water, seawater, soil, biological environments, concrete. Protection: classification of protective measures; modification of influencing factors: metal, environment, inhibitors; surface modification: cleaning treatments, coatings (metallic, conversion layers, organic); paints and coatings: composition and protection mechanism, anticorrosive pigments; electrical protection: anodic, cathodic, sacrificial anodes.
Laboratory: preparation and observation of metallographic samples; electrodeposition of metallic coatings; anodizing

Lectures; supervised laboratory activities

The support material (slides presented in class, exercises, documents, and supplementary links) will be uploaded to the Moodle platform simultaneously with the progress of the in-class lessons.

Oral exam.
The score of the exam is assigned using a grade expressed on a scale of thirty.
To pass the exam (18/30), the student must demonstrate at least a sufficient knowledge of the topics covered during the course.
To achieve the highest score (30/30 e Lode), the student must demonstrate an excellent and in-depth knowledge of all the topics covered during the course.