27-706 Hard and Superhard Materials

6 units, Carnegie Mellon University

This course will focus on the fundamental principles of hard and superhard materials. We will first discuss the origin of hardness across materials, and then describe important examples of materials prized for their intrinsic or extrinsic hardness. We will focus on the preparation, microstructure, and properties of materials such as diamond, cubic boron nitride and compound carbides. Then, we will emphasize the design of novel nano-structured and nano-composite materials and coatings, which are at the frontier of material science. Finally, the course will present examples of the architecture and processing methods used to generate hard materials and coatings in manufacturing automotive and aerospace industries.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026, Fall 2025

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