Articles by others on the same topic
Metallurgy studies how to obtain metals from their source materials and control their chemical composition, microstructure and useful properties. Extractive metallurgy deals with separating and refining metals; physical metallurgy connects their internal structure to properties such as mechanical strength, ductility and electrical conductivity.
Steelmaking illustrates the connection between chemistry and materials science: removing oxygen from an iron oxide produces iron, controlling its carbon content produces different steels, and subsequent heat treatment changes the arrangement of crystal structures and hence the mechanical properties. Two samples with similar overall chemical composition can therefore behave differently because their microstructures differ.[ref]
Steel Production by the American Iron and Steel Institute. How Steel Is Made: ironmaking and steelmaking routes
[ref]Properties of Heat Treated Steel by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Introduction and experimental motivation: heat treatment and steel properties
Metallurgy is the science and technology of metals and their alloys. It encompasses the processes of extraction, refining, forming, and alloying of metals, as well as the study of their physical and chemical properties. Metallurgy is generally divided into two main branches: 1. **Extractive Metallurgy**: This branch deals with the extraction of metals from their ores and the refining process.