study programme

Materials Sciences

Original title in Czech: Materiálové vědyFaculty: FMEAbbreviation: D-MAT-KAcad. year: 2023/2024

Type of study programme: Doctoral

Study programme code: P0719D270004

Degree awarded: Ph.D.

Language of instruction: Czech

Accreditation: 18.2.2020 - 18.2.2030

Mode of study

Combined study

Standard study length

4 years

Programme supervisor

Doctoral Board

Fields of education

Area Topic Share [%]
Mechanical Engineering, Technology and Materials Without thematic area 100

Study aims

The aim of the doctoral study is:
• To ensure the education of graduate creative workers in the field of physics of materials and materials sciences for their work in the academic sphere, institutes of basic and applied research and departments of research and development of industrial companies.
• To enable the doctoral student to develop talent for creative activities and further development of a scientific or engineering personality. To ensure the development of their ability to process scientific knowledge in the field of study and related fields, both literary and their own acquired theoretical or experimental work.
• To develop the habits necessary for creative activity in the field of materials sciences and related fields and for communication with the scientific community.
• The doctoral study is primarily focused on basic research into the relationship between the structure, behaviour and properties of materials in relation to the parameters of their preparation with a focus on materials based on metals, polymers, and ceramics and their composites.
• The purpose of research carried out by doctoral students is also the development of new materials, optimization of useful properties of materials and prediction of their service life on the basis of theoretical and computational methods based on experiments.

Graduate profile

the graduate's profile, based on the current state of scientific knowledge and creative activities in the field of materials physics and materials science.
• The graduate of the study is a mature personality, creatively thinking, able to formulate and implement research projects of theoretical and experimental nature, or to develop and apply the knowledge of these projects in production practice.
• The doctoral student will gain broad theoretical and experimental knowledge in the field of modern materials and methods of their development, preparation, study of their behaviour under mechanical, thermal or corrosion stress and properties in relation to the structure.
• The graduate will be an expert capable of exact descriptions of processing processes, designs of very complex products from metals, ceramics and polymers and composites with these matrices, tools for their production, mathematical simulations of processing processes, modelling of mechanical behaviour of materials or predictions of its properties and durability.
• Graduates will be equipped with a broad knowledge of the properties and behaviour of structural ceramics, polymers, metallic materials and composites and processes in processing into final products and tools, both on a theoretical and practical level.
• Graduates are expected to be employed in leading positions associated with technical and technological preparation of production, where they will be able to develop production processes and their design on the basis of knowledge acquired through studies.
• Graduates will also be employed as research and development staff in applied research centres, and after subsequent scientific-pedagogical and foreign practice also as academic staff of universities and academic institutions.

Profession characteristics

• The doctoral programme "Materials Science" is built so that the graduate is a self-acting material specialist applicable in a number of areas, able to formulate and implement research, development and application projects.
• With regard to the role of materials in all design applications and technologies, creative workers in the field of materials science and engineering will always find appropriate applications at home and abroad, including in the following areas.
- Within the framework of postdoctoral projects at a number of foreign workplaces for graduates with the ambition to be active in the fields of scientific research.
- In the form of direct involvement in research teams of academic and applied research workplaces.
- In the departments of research and development of industrial enterprises, or interdisciplinary teams of these workplaces.
• In all these cases, full-fledged involvement can be expected not only in the Czech Republic, but also at foreign workplaces.

Fulfilment criteria

See applicable regulations, DEAN’S GUIDELINE Rules for the organization of studies at FME (supplement to BUT Study and Examination Rules)

Study plan creation

The rules and conditions of study programmes are determined by:
BUT STUDY AND EXAMINATION RULES
BUT STUDY PROGRAMME STANDARDS,
STUDY AND EXAMINATION RULES of Brno University of Technology (USING "ECTS"),
DEAN’S GUIDELINE Rules for the organization of studies at FME (supplement to BUT Study and Examination Rules)
DEAN´S GUIDELINE Rules of Procedure of Doctoral Board of FME Study Programmes
Students in doctoral programmes do not follow the credit system. The grades “Passed” and “Failed” are used to grade examinations, doctoral state examination is graded “Passed” or “Failed”.

Availability for the disabled

Brno University of Technology acknowledges the need for equal access to higher education. There is no direct or indirect discrimination during the admission procedure or the study period. Students with specific educational needs (learning disabilities, physical and sensory handicap, chronic somatic diseases, autism spectrum disorders, impaired communication abilities, mental illness) can find help and counselling at Lifelong Learning Institute of Brno University of Technology. This issue is dealt with in detail in Rector's Guideline No. 11/2017 "Applicants and Students with Specific Needs at BUT". Furthermore, in Rector's Guideline No 71/2017 "Accommodation and Social Scholarship“ students can find information on a system of social scholarships.

What degree programme types may have preceded

The doctoral study programme follows on the bachelor's and master's education in the specialization of Materials Engineering (B-MTI) and the master's program Materials Engineering (M-MTI). During the course, students are provided with a balanced basis of theoretical and engineering disciplines supplemented by laboratory teaching with the maximum possible use of the latest instrumentation and computer technology.
For other adepts with education at other universities, the completed master's degree must be permeable to the fields of Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Physics, Solid State Physics, Materials Chemistry, etc.
The doctoral programme in "Materials Science" replaces the existing doctoral study programme in "Physical and Materials Engineering". Both programmes are conceptually identical and after granting a favourable opinion with the accreditation of the "Materials Science" programme, doctoral students will complete their studies within the currently accredited programme.

Issued topics of Doctoral Study Program

  1. Wear resistant metal matrix composite coatings prepared by thermal spraying methods

    The development of new coatings for tribological applications is on an unprecedented upswing due to the increasing demands for lower friction and wear in the industry. Existing single phase coatings are no longer sufficient in some cases, so there is a drive to find advanced solutions in the form of functional graded or composite coatings. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are proposed as one type of composite that shows promising material and tribological properties. In the case of high-stress applications (wind turbines, automotive, etc.), in addition to the general material requirements, tribological properties such as self-lubrication, abrasion resistance and high load-bearing capacity need to be ensured. Here, the use of thermal spraying methods is proposed to achieve high adhesion, homogeneity and low porosity in MMCs. With thermal spraying methods, far more diverse combinations can be achieved in the case of MMCs preparation than is the case with conventional foundry methods. The material diversity and shape complexity of the substrates on which the coating can be applied by thermal spraying can also be considered a major advantage. This thesis will investigate the use of thermal spray methods to prepare layers of MMCs with transition metal based matrices. In a group of abrasion resistant MMCs, the optimum material combination of metal matrix together with inorganic or organic additives providing sliding properties will be investigated. A detailed characterization of the deposited layers will be carried out in the dissertation together with an evaluation of adhesion, friction and abrasion resistance as a function of heat treatment. Tribological testing will be carried out up to a load value of 50 MPa, which is characteristic for the aforementioned high-load applications.

    Tutor: Řehořek Lukáš, Ing., Ph.D.

Course structure diagram with ECTS credits

1. year of study, winter semester
AbbreviationTitleL.Cr.Com.Compl.Hr. rangeGr.Op.
9AIVAb initio Calculations in Material Sciencescs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9ALMApplied Fracture Mechanicscs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9DATDeposition and Additive Technologiescs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9DMDDislocation Mechanisms of Plastic Deformationscs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9FMPFractography and Micromechanisms of Failurescs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MOMMaterials Modellingcs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MEMAdvanced Methods of Electron Microscopycs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9SAEStatistical Analysis and Experimentcs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9SVKStructure and Properties of Metallic Materialscs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MMMMultilevel Modelling of Materialscs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9VFMSelected Chapters in Materials Sciencecs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9ZMVTesting of Mechanical Propertiescs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
1. year of study, summer semester
AbbreviationTitleL.Cr.Com.Compl.Hr. rangeGr.Op.
9DPPDegradation Processes and Service Life Predictioncs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9FZMPhysical Base of Materials Fracturecs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MEKMechanics of Compositescs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MIKLight Microscopycs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
1. year of study, both semester
AbbreviationTitleL.Cr.Com.Compl.Hr. rangeGr.Op.
9AJEnglish for Doctoral Degree Studyen0CompulsoryDrExCj - 60yes
9KPCColloid and Surface Chemistrycs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MEOMetallurgy of Steelcs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9ESMModelling of Thermodynamic Stability and Phase Transformationscs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9MMNModern Metallurgy of Non-ferrous Metals and Alloyscs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9NTKNondestructive Evaluation and Quality Controlcs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9NKMNonmetallic Materialscs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9PKTAdvanced Ceramics Technologiescs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9PTSProgressive Technologies in Weldingcs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9SKESintering of Ceramics Materialscs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9WTFTheory of Phase Transformationscs, en0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes
9VMSSelected Methods of Structure Analysiscs0RecommendedDrExP - 20yes