Material categories and properties

• Absorbency


  The ability to soak up moisture, light or heat
• Absorbent materials


  • Natural materials (such as cotton or paper)
  • Man-made materials (such as acrylic or polystyrene)
• Density


  How solid a material is, measured by dividing mass (grams) by volume (cm3)
• Dense materials

  • Lead
• Fusibility


  The ability of a material to be heated and joined to another material when cooled
• Fusible materials

  • Webbing
• Electrical conductivity


  The ability to conduct electricity
• Good electrical conductors


  • Copper
• Strength


  • The ability of a material to withstand compression, tension and shear
  • Example: cotton isn't as strong as wool when pulled
• Thermal conductivity


  The ability to conduct heat
• Hardness


  • The ability to withstand impact without damage
  • Example: pine is easier to dent with an impact than oak, therefore oak is harder
• Good heat conductors

  • Steel
• Toughness


  • Materials that are hard to break or snap and can absorb shock
  • Example: Kevlar in bulletproof vests is a very tough material
• Poor heat conductors


  • Pine
• Malleability


  • Being able to bend or shape easily
  • Example: sheet metal such as steel or silver is malleable and can be hammered into shape
• Ductility


  • Materials that can be stretched
  • Example: pulling copper into wire shows it is ductile
• Elasticity


  • The ability to be stretched and then return to its original shape
  • Example: elastane in swimming costumes is a highly elastic material
• Bleed proof paper


  White, can be textured, thin

  Coated to stop colour seeping, ink stays bright on the surface
• Cartridge paper


  Thick, textured, rough

  Expensive and opaque, used for ink and watercolour
• Grid paper


  White paper printed with a variety of grids, eg isometric, graph etc

  Lines are usually blue but can be darker to trace through
• Layout paper


  Smooth finish, off-white colour, translucent (see-through)

  Takes most media well
• Tracing paper


  Translucent (see-through), smooth

  Shiny, takes pencil well
• Corrugated card


  Paper bonded to the outside

  Corrugations make it strong, protective and insulating; used in packaging
• Duplex board


  Two layers of card bonded together

  Stiff, lightweight and printable for packaging
• Foil lined board


  White card with foil backing

  Stiff and oil resistant, foil backing reflects heat, used for food containers
• Foam core board


  Smooth surface, laminated with white board

  Thick and rigid, available in a variety of thicknesses, prone to creasing and cracking, used for models and mounting photographs
• Inkjet card


  right white and smooth on both sides

  Deep colours as the photographic ink sits on the surface
• Solid white board


  Smooth on both sides

  Stiff, can be cut or scored
• Ash


  Pale-coloured, narrow grain

  Flexible and good for steam bending, tough, used for sports equipment

  Hardwood
• Beech


  Slight pink tint, close grain

  Tough, durable and smooth to finish

  Hardwood
• Mahogany


  Dark-reddish colour, very close grain

  Cuts and polishes easily, gives a fine finish, used for high-quality furniture

  Hardwood
• Oak


  Moderate-brown colour with unique and attractive grain markings

  Tough and durable, polishes well, used for quality furniture

  Hardwood
• Balsa


  Pale and wide-spaced grain due to it being a fast-growing hardwood

  Very soft and easy to form, often used to make models

  Hardwood
• Larch


  Pale coloured with a contrasting darker grain, knotty

  Durable, easy to machine, high sap content gives it good water resistance, used for exterior building and flooring

  Softwood
• Pine


  Pale coloured with aesthetically pleasing grain

  Lightweight, easy to form, used for construction and decking

  Softwood
• Spruce


  Pale cream with an even grain

  Easy to form, takes stain colour well, used for construction and furniture
• MDF


  Smooth, light brown, can be veneered

  Smooth and easy to finish, absorbs moisture so not suitable for outdoor use, used for kitchens and flat pack furniture

  Manufactured board
• Plywood


  Odd number of layers of veneer glued at 90 degree angles for strength, aesthetically pleasing outer layer

  Easy to cut and finish, can be stained or painted, used for shelving, construction and toys

  Manufactured board
• Chipboard


  Compacted wood chips, laminated with a variety of coverings, end cuts are difficult to finish

  Strong but absorbent to water, used for veneered worktops and flooring

  Manufactured board
• Cast iron


  Dull grey, rusts easily

  Brittle if thin, can be cast in a mould, used for manhole covers, pans and gates

  Ferrous metal