Materials Overview

Study Notes

Materials

Materials refer to tangible substances used to fabricate products. They can be classified into various categories based on their properties such as metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics, composites, biomaterials, and nanomaterials. Here's a brief overview of each category:

Metals

Metals are elemental substances, typically solids at room temperature, which have good electrical conductivity, high thermal and sound absorption capacity, and low reactivity with other elements. Some common examples of metals include aluminum, copper, iron, silver, gold, platinum, titanium, zinc, magnesium, nickel, lead, tin, mercury, cadmium, bismuth, antimony, arsenic, gallium, germanium, indium, thallium, tellurium, selenium, and uranium.

Alloys

Alloys are metallic materials made by combining two or more types of metals or nonmetals. Examples of common alloys are: steel - an alloy of iron and carbon; brass - an alloy of copper and zinc; bronze - an alloy of copper and tin; solder - a low-melting-point alloy of tin and lead; and pewter - an alloy of tin, bismuth, and lead.

Polymers

Polymers are large molecules consisting of repeating subunits called monomers, usually connected by covalent chemical bonds. Common polymers include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyester, nylon, polyurethane, silicone, latex rubber, and thermoplastic elastomers.

Ceramics

Ceramics are inorganic, non-metallic compounds formed from three classes of materials: oxides, nonoxides, and organoceramic materials. Common ceramics include porcelain, glass, concrete, brick, clay, stoneware, pottery, cement, glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP), and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP).

Composites

Composites are a combination of different materials where one material provides strength while another provides toughness or flexibility. Examples of composite materials include fiberglass, graphite fiber, carbon fiber, Kevlar, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.

Biomaterials

Biomaterials are materials used in contact with biological systems to evaluate, treat, augment, or replace any tissue, organ, or function in the body. Examples include bone cement, sutures, artificial skin, heart valves, pacemakers, contact lenses, and hip replacements.

Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials are materials in nanoscale dimensions, typically between 1 and 100 nanometres (nm). These materials exhibit properties that are quite different from their larger forms, making them valuable for applications such as electronics, energy storage, catalysis, medicine, water filtration, and environmental remediation.