Performance characteristics of materials

Question 2

Performance characteristics of materials

Answer 2

Mechanical properties, physical properties, chemical properties

Question 3

Mechanical properties

Answer 3

Strength - extent to which a material can resist forces without breaking
Hardness - a material’s ability to resist wear, abrasion, indentations or surface penetration
Ductility- ability of a material to deform under tensile stress without fracture
Toughness - ability of a material to withstand stress without catastrophic failure or fracture

Question 4

Physical properties

Answer 4

Density - mass of a substance per unit volume which impacts weight and balance in a product
Thermal and electrical conductivity - shows how well a material can conduct heat or electricity.
Melting point and glass transition temperature - indicated the temperature at which a material transitions from a solid to liquid state

Question 5

Chemical properties

Answer 5

Reactivity - some materials react chemically with other substances which can lead to corrosion
Corrosion resistance - ability of a material to resist decay and breakdown due to exposure to environmental conditions such as water, oxygen or chemicals

Question 6

Testing material performance

Answer 6

Material properties can be tested using a range of testing methods. Example include tensile tests, hardness tests and corrosion resistance tests.