Undergraduate Graduate
Relying on the first grade state subjects and the national key disciplines---“Materials Science and Engineering”, the institute has set up three majors including Materials Chemistry, Powder Materials Science and Engineering, Polymer Materials Science and Engineering for undergraduate students. Of which, Powder Materials Science and Engineering has been the first-batch selected for training students towards “Innovative and Advanced Engineering Talents” in the Central South University.
Materials Chemistry
The subject is focused on the characteristic in the inter-discipline between materials subjects and chemistry subjects, and training high-quality comprehensive talents with solid materials and chemistry fundamental theory, strong capability in research and innovative consciousness, excellent capability in organizing, leadership and competitiveness at an international level, as well as capable of working in teaching, research, product development, material synthesis and process, performance test, and production and operation management.
Powder Materials Science and Engineering
The subject is focused on cultivating the students with solid fundamental and theoretical knowledge, the specific background in materials science, strong capability in practical skills and innovative consciousness, the excellent capability in organizing, leadership and international competitiveness, as well as fostering highly specialized talents for materials research and development, process design, material synthesis and process, performance test, and production and operation management.
Polymer Materials Science and Engineering
The subject is focused on the characteristic in polymer materials science and materials processing, emphasizing the physics and chemistry in macromolecules, and training students with solid fundamental theory in polymer chemistry and materials engineering, strong capability in scientific research and innovative consciousness, the excellent leadership, and international competitiveness, as wells as high-quality professionals in teaching, research, polymer material synthesis and process, performance examination, and production and operation management.
Introduction to the subject and major of PhD/master education
The discipline of materials science and engineering, which is based on several natural science disciplines such as math, mechanics, physics and chemistry, is a first-level discipline in engineering disciplines and a combination of technology and multidisciplinary cross disciplines. The discipline of materials science and engineering is devoted to the fundamental science research, application-oriented fundamental research and engineering technology development in the fields of the many aspects on materials, including composition and structure, synthesis and processing, properties, performance and other factors, the rules of the relationship between them and the production process of the material and technology. Since the 1960s, the development of physics, chemistry and other subjects has promoted the research and understanding of the structure, properties and nature of materials. Also, the development of metallurgy, metallography, ceramics and polymer science has promoted the research on the composition, fabrication, structure, properties and their relationship of materials. In recent years, the application of computer technology in material science and engineering has made the progress of materials research change from qualitative to quantitative.
Metal materials, inorganic nonmetallic materials, polymer materials and other kinds of materials have similar discipline foundation, discipline connotation, research methods and research equipments. The development of science and technology not only need the thorough research on the specific materials at micro-perspective, but also need a comprehensive understanding and research on all kinds of materials at macro-perspective. Under this background, the discipline of materials science and engineering gradually formed and rapidly became an independent first-level discipline. The development of materials science and engineering enriches the understanding of natural science and promotes the progress of various engineering disciplines.
The discipline of materials science and engineering at Central South University is an important base of scientific research and talent training, which is involved in non-ferrous metals, powder metallurgy field and new materials of defense industry. The majors in materials science and engineering started recruiting students in 1954. It first obtained a master degree and PhD gift in 1982, had qualified to set up a postdoctoral research station in 1992, and first obtained first-level discipline PhD gift in 1997. In 2007, the discipline of materials science and engineering was approved as a first-level discipline, including the state key second-level disciplines of materials science, materials physics and chemistry, and materials processing technology. The discipline of materials science and engineering hosts a series of high-level research platforms, including the State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, State Key Engineering Center of Powder Metallurgy, State level Laboratory of Light and High-Strength Structural Materials, et al. The total area of discipline base is more than 400 mu, and the total assets is more than 300 million Chinese Yuan. These advantageous resources provide a good platform and superior conditions for innovative education for postgraduate.
The discipline assembled the strongest domestic research team of both nonferrous metal and powder metallurgy. The leader members of this discipline including powder metallurgy expert Huang Peiyun (passed away), materials scientist Huang Boyun academician, pressure processing expert Zeng Sumin academician and physical metallurgy and phase diagram expert Jin Zhanpeng academician. Under the guidance and cultivation of the older generation, a group of young and middle-aged experts with academic achievement, including 5 "Yangtse River" Professors of the Ministry of Education and 5 winners of National Science Foundation of Outstanding Young Scholars, etc., have been stand out in their respective research directions. The returned Chinese scholars in teachers of this discipline accounts for 50%, and teachers who have doctorate account for more than 80%. The research fields of these teachers contain metal materials, powder metallurgy, inorganic non-metallic materials, organic polymer materials, biomedical materials, material processing, materials processing, material physics, material chemistry and condensed matter physics, etc.
The discipline of materials science and engineering attaches great importance to the idea that scientific research should be used to stimulate innovation. In recent years, a series of key national research projects and international cooperation projects, belonged to the 973 program, 863 program, key programs of the Natural Science Foundation of China, have been carried out here. According to the needs of the development of high and new technology, this discipline independently set up two second-level PhD/master courses, including composite materials and powder metallurgy.
