Metallkunde

Metallkunde, or metallurgy, is the branch of materials science that studies metals and their alloys, covering their production, processing, properties, and performance in engineering applications. The field is commonly divided into extractive metallurgy, which deals with obtaining metals from ores and refining them, and physical metallurgy, which investigates how alloy composition and thermomechanical processing influence microstructure and properties.

Key topics include phase diagrams, crystal structures, diffusion, precipitation hardening, heat treatment, alloying, casting, forming processes such as casting, forging, rolling, and extrusion, and modern methods like additive manufacturing. The aim is to design metals with desired properties such as strength, ductility, toughness, hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, and to ensure reliable performance in service across varying temperatures and environments.

Characterization and testing are essential, employing optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, and non-destructive evaluation, along with mechanical tests such as hardness, tensile, impact, and fatigue testing. Modeling and simulation—thermodynamics, kinetics, and CALPHAD approaches—support alloy design and process optimization.

Historically, metallurgy traces back to ancient civilizations' work with iron and bronze. The modern discipline developed with advances in extraction techniques, steel metallurgy, and the growth of materials science in the 19th and 20th centuries, enabling sophisticated alloys and predictive approaches to materials engineering. Metallkunde underpins sectors such as automotive, aerospace, energy, construction, and electronics, where material choices influence safety, performance, and cost.