Ceramics, composites and polymers

Question 1

What are ceramics

Answer 1

Non-metal solids with high melting points that aren’t made from carbon-based compounds

Question 2

Examples of ceramics

Clay:
-is s… so it can be m…
-when f… it … to form a clay c…
-it’s ability to be … makes it useful for p… and b…

Glass:
-can be … when h… and is brittle when t…
-most glass is …-lime glass which is made by heating a mixture of l…, s… and sodium … until it m…
-b… glass has a higher m… point than soda-…
-it’s made out of sand and b… trioxide

Answer 2

Clay:
-is soft so it can be moulded
-when fired it hardens to form a clay ceramic
-it’s ability to be moulded makes it useful for pottery and bricks

Glass:
-can be moulded when hot and is brittle when thin
-most glass is soda-lime glass which is made by heating a mixture of limestone, sand and sodium bicarbonate until it melts
-borosilicate glass has a higher melting point than soda-lime
-it’s made out of sand and boron trioxide

Question 3

What are composites

Answer 3

Are made of one material embedded in another

Question 4

Examples of composites

F…: -consists of f… of glass e… in a m… made of polymer (p…)

Carbon f…: - have a polymer m…, made from either long c… of c… atoms bonded together, or from carbon n…

C…: -made from a… (sand and g…) embedded in c…

W…: -natural c… of c… fibres held together by an organic p… matrix

Answer 4

Fibreglass: -consists of fibres of glass embedded in a matrix made of polymer (plastic)

Carbon fibre: - have a polymer matrix, made from either long chains of carbon atoms bonded together, or from carbon nanotubes

Concrete: -made from aggregate (sand and gravel) embedded in cement

Wood: -natural composite of cellulose fibres held together by an organic polymer matrix

Question 5

What does the monomer that a polymer is made from determine for the polymer

Answer 5

What type of bonds form between the polymer chains

Question 6

What are thermosoftening polymers

-contain i… polymer c… entwined together with w… forces between the c…
-you can m… them and remould them

Answer 6

-contain individual polymer chains entwined together with weak forces between the chains
-you can melt them and remould them

Question 7

What are thermosetting polymers

-contain m… that can form c… links between the polymer c…, holding them together in a s… structure
-they don’t s… when heated

Answer 7

-contain monomers that can form cross links between the polymer chains, holding them together in a solid structure
-they don’t soften when heated

Question 8

Which type of polymer softens when heated

Answer 8

Thermosoftening