Developments in New Materials Flashcards
(30 cards)
What are modern materials?
New materials with useful properties developed to meet specific applications through inventing or improving processes.
What is graphene?
A single layer of carbon atoms.
What are the properties of graphene?
- Transparent
- Very strong and light
- Excellent conductor of heat and electricity
What are the uses of graphene?
- Protective equipment and clothing
- Mixed with paint to protect materials from corrosion
- Ideal for use in solar cells due to its transparency and conductive properties
What are metal foams?
Metals injected with air while in a liquid state.
What are the properties of metal foams?
- Lightweight
- Strong under compression, absorbing energy well
- Low thermal conductivity
What are the uses of metal foams?
- Prosthetics (artificial body parts)
- Ideal for soundproofing and crash protection in vehicles
What is titanium?
A metal that has historically been difficult to extract, refine, and process.
What are the properties of titanium?
- High strength-to-weight ratio
- Corrosion-resistant
- Can withstand extreme temperatures
- Often alloyed with other metals
What are the uses of titanium?
- Prosthetics (artificial body parts)
- Ideal for aircraft and spacecraft due to its resistance to corrosion and high strength-to-weight ratio
Titanium is expensive.
What are coated metals?
Metals improved by adding a coating of another material to increase strength and resistance to corrosion.
What are examples of coated metals?
Nickel-plated steel, polymer-coated aluminium, and galvanised steel (applying a protective zinc coating).
What are Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)?
Flat panel displays that use liquid crystals to control light emission and create an image.
How do LCDs work?
When voltage is applied to liquid crystals, they change shape and allow different levels of light to pass through, creating an image.
What are nanomaterials?
Materials containing particles less than 100 nanometres in size with different properties compared to larger particles of the same material.
What are the properties of nanomaterials?
They have a large surface-area-to-volume ratio, improving properties such as strength, conductivity, and reactivity.
What are Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs)?
SMAs are metal alloys with memory properties that can return to their original shape after being deformed through heating or applying an electrical current.
An example of an SMA is Nitinol, an alloy of nickel and titanium.
What are smart materials?
Smart materials are materials whose properties change in response to external stimuli, such as stress, temperature, moisture, or pH.
What do thermochromic materials do?
Thermochromic materials change colour in response to changes in temperature.
In thermochromic liquid crystals, the crystals re-orientate as the temperature changes, causing a change in colour.
What are photochromic materials?
Photochromic materials change colour in response to changes in light levels.
How are composite materials defined?
Composite materials are made from two or more materials, often with contrasting properties.
What is one common example of a composite material?
Concrete is one of the most common composite materials.
What is Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP)?
GRP combines glass fibres with a thermosetting plastic to create a lightweight, strong, and resistant material used in boat hulls and car bodies.
What is Carbon Reinforced Plastic (CRP)?
CRP combines carbon fibres with a thermosetting plastic, making it more rigid, stronger, and lighter than GRP, but also more expensive and brittle.
