Cars have traditionally been made out of steel, because of its low cost and high performance. However, other materials like aluminum, carbon fibers, and magnesium alloys are being used because of their unique properties such as low weights and high corrosion resistance. In a few years you might find yourself driving a car that is mostly magnesium and aluminum. 

Before we introduce our guest, check out our free professional development guide for materials scientists and engineers!

Today’s guest is Dr. Dikai Guan, a Materials Science and Engineering Fellow at the University of Sheffield, as well as a UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellow. In this episode he discusses what materials we use to build our cars.

In this conversation, we discuss the following topics:

• The materials in everyday cars versus a racecar 

Learn more about our MSE Career Development Online Course, which includes more industry-specific information and advice. 

Also, check out our MSE-themed merchandise if you want to support us or simply show off your love of materials science!

Thank you Joao Morgado for editing this episode!

Join our Discord community! You can meet other passionate materials scientists and engineers from around the world, discuss the latest breakthroughs in MSE, share materials-related memes, and get career advice from experts in the field.

For shorter segments and full video podcasts, subscribe to our channel on YouTube. For bloopers, audiograms, and interesting materials science articles, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Feel free to message us on our social media platforms if you have any feedback or recommendations for future episodes, or email us directly at [email protected]. Finally, reach out to David Yeh and Punith Upadhya on LinkedIn if you'd like to chat about the latest breakthroughs in MSE!

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed by either guests or hosts in this show are their own, and do not represent the opinions of the companies or organizations for which they are affiliated.