Material science v.s. chemical engineering?

In summary, Chemical engineering involves large-scale chemical reactions while materials science focuses on the properties of materials. Chemical engineers design reactors for continuous production while materials scientists study the behavior of materials in their final form. In modern curricula, chemical engineers are seen as applied organic chemists while materials scientists are seen as applied condensed matter physicists. However, there are exceptions and overlaps in their roles and research.
  • #1
emyt
217
0
what's the difference? it looks like a chemical engineer and material scientist does the same thing
 
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  • #2
Chemical engineering is more about running large-scale chemical reactions while materials science is about studying specific properties of materials. A chemical engineer may be tasked with designing a reactor that runs continuously to produce some polymer while a materials scientist would be tasked with figuring out why the polymer, in its final form, acts the way it does.

In modern curricula, it seems to me that chemical engineers are essentially applied organic chemists while materials scientists are essentially applied condensed matter physicists.

Of course there are always exceptions and overlaps. Hope this helped.
 
  • #3
cmos said:
Chemical engineering is more about running large-scale chemical reactions while materials science is about studying specific properties of materials. A chemical engineer may be tasked with designing a reactor that runs continuously to produce some polymer while a materials scientist would be tasked with figuring out why the polymer, in its final form, acts the way it does.

In modern curricula, it seems to me that chemical engineers are essentially applied organic chemists while materials scientists are essentially applied condensed matter physicists.

Of course there are always exceptions and overlaps. Hope this helped.

ah, I see. Thanks a lot!
 
  • #4
I would definitely say that chemical engineers are not close organic chemists. If anything, we are closer to physical chemists. Sure, we deal with many organic reactions but we don't come up with syntheses, we do the math to come up with the heat flow, fluid flow, work in and out of the system, etc.
 
  • #5
at the graduate level the differences become blurred. Many ChemE's do more materials research and many MatSci's do more ChemE research. They are very similar when it comes to research
 

What is the difference between material science and chemical engineering?

Material science is a field that focuses on the study and manipulation of materials, their properties, and how they can be used in various applications. Chemical engineering, on the other hand, is a branch of engineering that applies chemical principles to design and operate processes that convert raw materials into useful products.

What are the main areas of study in material science and chemical engineering?

The main areas of study in material science include materials characterization, materials processing, and materials design. In chemical engineering, the main areas of study include thermodynamics, transport phenomena, and reaction engineering.

How do material scientists and chemical engineers differ in their approaches to problem-solving?

Material scientists tend to focus on the properties and behavior of materials at the atomic and molecular level, while chemical engineers use their knowledge of chemistry and engineering principles to design and optimize processes for large-scale production.

What are some common career paths for material scientists and chemical engineers?

Material scientists often work in research and development, product design, and quality control in industries such as aerospace, healthcare, and electronics. Chemical engineers, on the other hand, may work in industries such as pharmaceuticals, energy production, and environmental engineering.

How do material science and chemical engineering overlap?

Material science and chemical engineering overlap in the study of materials and their properties. Chemical engineers may also use their knowledge of material science to select and design materials for specific applications in their processes. Additionally, both fields often collaborate in research and development projects to create new materials and processes.

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