Engineering Degree Program in China - Functional Materials

1. Introduction

Functional Materials are the materials with special function after the action of light, electricity, magnetism, thermal, chemistry and biochemistry, also known as specialty materials or fine materials. Functional materials cover a wide range, including light, electric function, magnetic function, separation function, shape memory function, etc. Compared with the usual structural materials, this kind of material has other functional characteristics except mechanical properties.

According to the characteristics and uses of the materials, functional materials can be defined as: with excellent electrical, magnetic, optical, thermal, acoustic, mechanical, chemical, and biological function and the mutual transformation functions that are used for non structure high-tech materials. Functional material major is an interdisciplinary subject of materials science, biology, medicine and other fields.

2. Classification

1) According to the chemical bond, functional materials are divided into functional metal materials, functional inorganic non-metallic materials, functional organic materials and functional composite materials.

2) According to the physical properties of the materials, functional materials are divided into magnetic materials, electrical materials, optical materials, acoustic materials, mechanical materials, chemical functional materials, etc.

3) According to the application fields of functional materials, functional materials are divided into electronic materials, military materials, information industry materials, energy materials, medical materials, etc.

Current international functional materials and application technology are facing new breakthroughs, such as superconducting materials, microelectronic materials and photonic materials, information materials, energy conversion and storage can materials, ecological environmental materials, biomedical materials and the design of material molecules, atoms is in the rapid development.

3. Training Objectives

Functional materials program trains senior comprehensive technical personnel with knowledge of materials science and engineering, biology and medicine and other fields, mastering the biological material foundation and professional knowledge, can be engaged in basic research, applied research and technology development in the fields of biological materials preparation, change, processing and application.

4. Training Requirements

The students master the basic knowledge and basic theory of materials science, biology and medicine, especially the knowledge of polymer materials science and engineering, biomedical engineering, with the ability to work in teaching and scientific research in biomaterials and biomedical engineering, with the professional knowledge which is necessary for a professional direction in the field of functional materials, focusing on the frontier of scientific research, and understanding its scientific frontier and development trend.

5. Knowledge and Skills

1) With solid academic foundation, good humanities, arts and social science foundation;

2) Systematically grasp the broad basic knowledge of technical theory of the program;

3) With strong theoretical analysis ability and experimental skills to solve the problems of materials processing technology related to mechanics;

4) With strong computer application ability;

5) With corresponding experiment, scientific research ability.

6. Main Subjects

Polymer materials science and engineering, biomedical engineering

7. Main Courses

Biochemistry, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, polymer chemistry, polymer physics, biomedical materials, biological materials preparation and processing, comprehensive experiment of biological materials etc. 

Elective courses: biomedical polymer modification, tissue engineering, control release theory and application, biodegradable polymer, environmental materials basis

The courses focus on combination with current research hotspot, both for the students’ extensive and in-depth understanding of the field and to inspire the future research work.

8. Academic Studies

The development of bio functional materials can be divided into two aspects, namely, functional biomaterials and biomimetic functional materials. Functional biomaterials are used in the development of the application in physical, chemical and biological properties of biomaterials.

9. Employment Prospects

Graduates can be engaged in the teaching and research work in the field of biological materials and biomedical engineering at research companies, design companies, colleges and enterprises.

10. Similar Programs

Inorganic non-metallic materials engineering, metallurgical engineering, materials science and engineering, composite materials and engineering, welding technology and engineering, biological function materials.