metallurgia

Metallurgy is the branch of science and engineering that studies metals and their alloys, from extraction and refining to shaping, treatment, and performance in end use. The field covers both extractive metallurgy, which produces metals from ore, and physical metallurgy, which investigates the structure, properties, and processing of metals to achieve desired performance. Metallurgical processing includes casting, forming (forging, rolling, extrusion), welding and joining, and various heat treatments.

A central concern is how composition and microstructure influence properties such as strength, hardness, ductility, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Characterization methods—metallography, electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, hardness testing, and corrosion testing—are used to relate processing to performance.

History and scope: metallurgical knowledge emerged in ancient times with smelting and alloying for bronze and iron. The development of steelmaking, refining, alloy design, and mass production transformed industry during the 19th and 20th centuries, and modern metallurgy emphasizes design of materials with specific properties and sustainable processing.

Applications include construction, automotive and aerospace engineering, machinery, electronics, energy, and consumer goods. Education and research in metallurgy are typically housed within materials science and metallurgical engineering programs, covering topics such as phase diagrams, thermodynamics, kinetics, alloys design, casting and forming processes, and failure analysis.