materials Flashcards
what is a thermoforming polymer
they deform whenever heated and can be remoulded many times.
what is a thermosetting polymer
once these polymers have been shaped and hardened, they cannot be reshaped or softened by heating
what is a composite material
a material comprised of two or more different materials, resulting in a material with enhanced properties
what is a smart material
material whose physical properties change in response to an input or change in the environment, such as electricity, pressure, temperature or light
what is compressive strength
the ability to withstand being crushed or shortened by pushing forces (compression)
what is tensile strength
the ability to resist stretching or pulling forces
what is stiffness
the ability to resist forces that may bend the material
what is hardness
the ability to resist abrasive wear such as cutting, scratching and surface indentation
what is durability
the ability to withstand wear, damage and weathering
what is impact resistance
the ability to absorb impact force without damage
what is plasticity
the ability to be permanently deformed (shaped) and retain the deformed shape
what is elasticity
the ability to be deformed and then returned to the original shape when the force is removed
what is malleability
the ability to withstand deformation by compression without cracking
what is ductility
the ability to be drawn out under tension, reducing the cross-sectional area without cracking, for example stretching a material into a wire
what is density
the mass of a material in a standard volume of space
Strength-to-weight ratio
comparing the weigt of the structure to the amount of weight it can support without failure
what is flammability
how a material burns once ignited and the degree of difficulty required to cause combustion
biodegradable
the ability of a material to break down naturally and decompose by the action of microorganisms
electrical conductivity
the flow of electrical current through the material.
thermal conductivity
the transfer of heat energy through the material
corrosion/degradation resistance
the ability of the material to withstand environmental attack and decay
