Metallurgy is a branch of [Materials Engineering]
? that studies the physical and chemical behavior of
elements and their mixtures(called alloys). Most
metallic elements are best used in the alloyed form, for example, steel, brass, aluminum alloys. However some relatively 100% pure elements like
semiconductors owe their properties to the presence of controlled amount of impurities in them. Metals seem to work as structural materials under loading conditions where sudden failures must be avoided. The metals are stronger than most
plastics and have more toughness than most ceramic
?s. Unlike Mechanical Engineers, Metallurgists study the micromechanisms that cause a metal or
alloy to behave in the way that it does, i.e. the changes that occur on the atomic level that affect the metal's (or alloy's) macro-properties.