Ceramics, composites, polymers and alloys

Created by

Ashley mak

Cards (12)

Ceramics
Group of non-metal solids with high melting points that aren’t made from carbon-based compounds
2 examples of ceramics
Clay ceramics
Glass
How are clay ceramics made
Dig clay from the ground
Mould the clay into the shape that you want
Fire the clay and high temperatures in a furnace to harden it
How is soda-lime glass made
Heat a mixture of limestone, sand and sodium carbonate until it melts
When it cools it will form glass
How is borosilicate glass different to soda-lime glass
Made from a mixture of sand and boron trioxide
Has a higher melting point than soda-lime glass
Main type of glass that we use
Soda-lime glass
What is a composite material
Made of one reinforcer material embedded into another matrix material.
This makes the composite much stronger than either of the material are alone
What is concrete and why is it considered a composite material
Made from gravel and sand, bound together in a matrix of cement
What is the difference between low density poly(ethene) and high density poly(ethene)
Made under different conditions
LD poly(ethene) requires moderate temps a high pressure and a catalyst while HD poly(ethene) requires low temps/pressure and a catalyst
Difference between thermosoftening and thermosetting polymers
Thermosoftening polymers melt when they are heated and can be remoulded
Thermosetting polymers do not melt when they heated so cannot be remoulded
How does the structure of thermosoftening polymers relate to their properties
Made from lots of polymer chains, held together by weak intermolecular forces
These forces break easily when heated, causing the polymer to melt.
It can then be remoulded into a different shape and will harden again when cooled
How do thermosetting polymers relate to their properties
Made from lots of polymer chains held together by strong covalent bonds
They require lots of energy to break so don’t soften when heated
These polymers are hard, strong and rigid