Modern Materials

• Modern Materials have properties previously unavailable in natural materials, allowing them to be used in new and innovative ways.
• Some modern materials are composite materials.
• Modern materials do not react to the environment, unlike smart materials.
• Graphene is a 2-dimensional layer of carbon extracted from graphite, it is harder than diamond, 300 times stronger than steel, the lightest known material, and has a wide range of potential uses including solar cells, metal foams, and body armour.
• Metal foams are made by heating metal and gas, and are lightweight and have high compressive strength.
• Metal foams are being developed for use in soundproofing, crash protection in vehicles, body armour, filtration, prosthetics, and other applications.
• Titanium is a high strength, low density, corrosion-resistant material used in aircrafts.
• Non-ferrous metals have a protective natural oxide layer to prevent corrosion, while ferrous metals, with the exception of stainless steels, corrode.
• Electroplating is a process where a base metal is coated with other metals to give it strength and protection, and provide an attractive and durable finish, for example, bathroom taps coated with chromium.
• Dipping Metals involves dipping a metal in another metal.
• Tin Plating involves passing steel through molten tin, used in cans for food.
• Zinc Plating involves passing steel through molten zinc, used in car body shells.
• Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) consists of two layers of glass laminated with a crystal core, used in digital watches and flat screen tv.
• Nanomaterials are less than 100 nanometers in size, with carbon nanotubes, fullerene, and quantum dots as examples.
• Carbon Nanotubes are hard and tough and can be used on items such as clothing and sports equipment and police and body armour as an additive.
• Carbon Nanotubes exhibit electrical properties and will assist in the miniaturisation of electrical products.
• Carbon Nanotubes are 6 times lighter than steel, 500 times stronger – Super tensile strength.
• Carbon Nanotubes are as flexible as plastic.
• Carbon Nanotubes can conduct heat and electricity better than any other material discovered.
• Carbon Nanotubes can be made from raw materials such as methane gas.
• Carbon Nanotubes are almost totally inert.
• Carbon Nanotubes are used to strengthen plastics on cars.
• Carbon Nanotubes are used on paint to give a very hard finish.