Module 6 - Material Science

• BCC: Body-Centered Cubic, a crystal structure with a regular lattice of atoms arranged in a cube. It is stiff and strong. Eg -> Iron
• Strength: ability for a material to resist deformation. However, there are many types of strength dependant on the material.
• Tensile Strength: The maximum amount of pull that a material can withstand before breaking
• Compressive Strength: The ability of a material to withstand crushing or squeezing stresses without breaking or deforming.
• Shear Strength: The ability of a material to resist sliding failure when parallel forces are applied.
• Hardness: The ability to withstand scratching, abrasion or indentation.
• Brittleness: The property that permits no permanent distortion before breaking.
• Ductility: The ability of a material to be plastically deformed by tensile stresses. Also described as the ability to be drawn into a wire.
• Malleability: The ability of a metal to be plastically deformed by compressive stresses.
• Toughness: The ability of a material to withstand sudden and shocking forces and absorb energy.
• Elasticity: The ability of a material to return to its original shape after a force has been removed.
• Plasticity/Workability: The ability of a material to undergo all types of deformation processes without failure.
• Gold: Is both malleable and ductile
• LEAD: Is malleable but not ductile
• Thermoplastic Polymer: A polymer that softens when heated and rehardens upon cooling. This can be cooled and heated several times without any change in their chemical or mechanical properties. Eg -> Acrylic Sheet
• Thermosetting Polymer: A polymer that is irreversibly hardened by curing and cannot be re-softened and reworked by heating. Eg -> Epoxy Adhesive
• Elastomer: A polymer that is viscoelasticity and has very weak intermolecular forces, having high failure strain compared to other materials. Eg -> Rubber-like solids
• Tangled Structure: Linear polymers are intertwined and cross-linked together to form a mechanically strong structure.
• Polymers with uneven distribution of atomic groups are tougher and stronger.
• Polyethylene: The most popular plastic used for water bottles, pipes and plastic bags. It is versatile, resistant to impact, cracking and high temperatures, and it is tough and strong.
• Polypropylene: A recyclable polymer used in swimming pool tools, food containers and lab equipment due to is high resistance to chemical solvents and acids.
• Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene: A thermoplastic polymer used in automotive body parts and electronic appliances for its high rigidity, impact resistance and toughness.
• Polylactic Acid: A biodegradable plastic made from renewable resources and used for food packaging and healthcare equipment. It can range from soft and elastic to stiff and strong.
• Polyvinyl Chloride: A thermoplastic polymer used for pipes, cables, and toys. A plasticiser can be added to make this plastic softer and flexible. Without it, it is rigid and strong.
• Nylon: Made from petroleum, this non-biodegradable polymer is used for bristles, gears and skateboard wheels. It is very strong, stiff, flexible and durable as well as thermal and chemical resistant.
• Alloy: A material exhibiting metallic properties made by combining several metals, or metals and non-metals.
• Biological Material: A material resulting directly from the life cycle of a plant or an animal
• Ceramic: A material containing phases made up of chemical combinations of metals and non-metals; they are typically brittle and have high melting points as solids
• Compounds: Formed when two or more elements are combined chemically in fixed proportions by weight; all compounds can be broken down into their component elements
• Constituent: Forming a necessary part of a whole: "oxygen and hydrogen are the constituent elements of water"
• Covalent Bond: A primary bond arising from the reduction in energy associated with the sharing of pairs of electrons by several atoms.
• Crystal: A homogeneous solid possessing a regular three-dimensional lattice arrangement of atomic particles
• Crystalline State: A low energy state characterised by a high degree of internal order which is expressed in the lattice structure; all true solids are crystalline
• Dislocations: Linear imperfections in a crystal which move during plastic deformation
• Factor of Safety: The ratio of the yield stress of a member or piece of material to the actual working stress or the maximum permissible stress when in use
• Homogenous: Composed of like parts, having uniformity and/or consistency
• Ionic Bond: A primary bond arising from the electrostatic attraction between two oppositely charged ions
• Macrostructure: The gross features of a material or component as revealed by examination using the naked eye or a lower-power lens.
• Materials Science: A branch of applied science concerned with investigating the relationship existing between the structures of materials and their properties.
• Materials Science: the study of nature, properties and classification of materials, their use in science and the development of technologies, and of the various mechanisms used for modifying materials.