Justifying uses of certain materials Flashcards
Copper for PCB’s
Ductile - can be drawn out into thin wires
Very good electrical conductivity
Corrosion resistant
High melting point
Can be soldered
Aluminium for saucepans
Good thermal conductivity
Corrosion resistant
Tough and hard
Kevlar for bullet proof vest
Lightweight
Hard and tough
High tensile strength
Impact resistant
CFRP for bike frames
Lightweight - easy to transport and to cycle on
Hard and tough - won’t be scratched when cleaning and won’t break easily during collisions
Stiff and rigid - won’t flex easily, good for power transfer
Titanium for joint replacement
Lightweight
Chemical resistant - resistant to acids and alkalis
Corrosion resistant
High strength
Hard, durable and tough
Biologically compatible with human tissue
PMMA for car light casings
Hard
Tough
Translucent
Chemical resistant
Water resistant
Weather resistant
Relatively high safe working temperature
Electrical insulator
ABS for computer housing
Hard, tough
water resistant
electrical insulator
Chemical resistant
Relatively high safe working temperature
available in opaque
uPVC for window frames
weather resistant, water resistant, chemical resistant, rigid, hard, tough
PHA/PHB for surgical sutures
Chemical resistant - won’t degrade on exposure to acids and alkalis
Insoluble in water - won’t dissolve in the wound location
High tensile strength - will hold the wound together tightly
Can be composted - won’t contribute to landfill after use
Melamine formaldehyde for kitchen worktops
Hard - won’t be scratched by pans and cutlery
Tough - won’t fracture if things are dropped on it
Temperature resistant - hot pans and dishes can be placed on it
Chemical resistant - is able to be cleaned
Water resistant - won’t be degraded if water is spilled on it
Potatopak for disposable plates and cutlery
Food safe and non-toxic - won’t adversely impact the health of the consumer
Lightweight yet strong - is able to bear the load of the food or when cutting the food
Cradle-to-cradle approach, able to be composted, produces minimal greenhouse gases and solid waste can be fed to the animals - more environmentally friendly
Galvanising for a steel school fence
Hard
Zinc chemically bonds significantly prolonging the lifetine of the fence
Steel can’t corrode adjacent to the zinc
Low maintenance and tends to be cheaper long term
Zinc can be recycled
