sign & Technology

Materials
The material types used in resistant materials are woods, metals, plastics, ceramics
and composites. Each of these has its own characteristic working properties, such
as strength, malleability, conductivity, toughness and durability.

Timber
There are two types of timber, called hardwood and softwood. These names do not refer to
the properties of the wood: some softwoods can be hard and some hardwoods can be soft.

Softwood
Softwoods come from coniferous trees which are evergreen, needle-leaved, cone-bearing
trees, such as cedar, fir and pine.

Hardwood
Hardwoods come from broad-leaved, deciduous trees. The main hardwood timbers are ash,
beech, birch, cherry, elm, iroko, mahogany, meranti, oak, obeche, sapele and teak.

Properties and uses of hardwood timbers.

Name

Properties

Uses

Light, creamy-brown colour, opengrained,tough, flexible

Sports equipment,
wooden ladders, tool
handles

White to pinkish-brown in colour, close-grained, hard,

tough, strong, warps easily

Furniture, toys, tool

handles

Light to medium brown in colour, open and

sometimes interlocking grain, tough, durable, resists
splitting, durable in water

Indoor and outdoor

furniture

Pink to reddish-brown colour, fairly strong, durable,

some interlocking grain

Good quality furniture

Light brown colour, strong, hard, tough, open-grained,

corrodes steel screws and fittings

Interior woodwork,
good quality furniture

Ash

Beech

Elm
Mahogany

Oak

Metals

Most metals are extracted from their ores using a chemical reaction. Metals are rarely used in
their pure form, and are usually mixed with other metals to improve their properties. This is
called an alloy. Most metals are good conductors and can be recycled.

Ferrous metals
Ferrous metals contain iron. Examples are cast iron, mild steel, medium carbon steel, high
carbon steel, stainless steel and high speed steel.
The ferrous metals listed below are all alloys.

Composition, properties and uses of ferrous metals

Name and
melting
point

Properties and characteristics

Principal uses

Cast iron
1200C

Hard skin, softer underneath,

but brittle,corrodes by rusting

Parts with complex

shapes which can be
made by casting

Mild steel
1600C

Tough, ductile, malleable, good tensile

strength, poor resistance to corrosion

General purpose
engineering material

High carbon
steel 1800C

Even harder than medium carbon steel and

more brittle, can be heat-treated to make it
harder and tougher

Cutting tools, ball

bearings

Stainless
steel 1400C

Hard and tough, resistant to wear and

corrosion

Cutlery, kitchen
equipment

Non-ferrous metals
Non-ferrous metals do not contain iron. Some common non-ferrous metals are aluminium,
Duralumin, copper, zinc, brass, gilding metal and tin.

Composition, properties and uses of non-ferrous metals:

Name and
melting
point

Composition

Properties and
characteristics

Principal uses

Aluminium
660C

Pure
aluminium

Good strength-to-weight ratio,

light, soft, ductile, good
conductor of heat and
electricity

Kitchen equipment,
window frames,
general cast
components

Copper
1080C

Pure copper

Malleable and ductile, good

conductor of heat and
electricity, resistant to
corrosion

Water pipes, electrical

wire, decorative goods

Brass 9001000C

Alloy

Resistant to corrosion, fairly

hard, good conductor of heat
and electricity

Ornaments, cast
items such as water
taps

Tin 230C

Pure tin

Soft, weak, malleable, ductile

Usually used for

Name and
melting
point

Composition

Properties and
characteristics

Principal uses

and resistant to corrosion

coating steel to form

tin-plate, softsolder

Plastics
Sources of plastics
Natural

Natural sources of plastics include:

plants - from which cellulose can be extracted

trees - from which latex, amber and resin can be extracted
animals - from which horn and milk (used to make glues) are obtained
insects - from which shellac (used to make polish) is obtained

Synthetic
Synthetic plastics are chemically manufactured from:

crude oil
coal
natural gas

Thermoplastics and thermoset plastics

Plastics are divided into thermoplastics and thermoset plastics.
Thermoplastics can be heated and shaped many times.

Properties and uses of thermoplastics.

Name

Properties

Principal uses

Polyamide

Creamy colour, tough, fairlyhard,

Bearings, gear wheels, casings

Name

Properties

Principal uses

(Nylon)

resists wear, self-lubricating, good

resistance to chemicals and
machines

for power tools, hinges for

small cupboards, curtain rail
fittings and clothing

Polymethyl
methacrylate
(Acrylic)

Stiff, hard but scratches easily,

durable, brittle in small sections,
good electricalinsulator, machines
and polishes well

Signs, covers of storage

boxes, aircraft canopies and
windows, covers for car lights,
wash basins and baths

Polypropylene

Light, hard but scratches easily,

tough, good resistance to
chemicals, resists work fatigue

Medical equipment, laboratory

equipment, containers with
built-in hinges, 'plastic' seats,
string, rope, kitchen
equipment

Polystyrene

Light, hard, stiff, transparent,

brittle, with good water resistance

Toys, especially model kits,

packaging, 'plastic' boxes and
containers

Low density
polythene
(LDPE)

Tough, good resistance to

chemicals, flexible, fairly soft, good
electrical insulator

Packaging, especially bottles,

toys, packaging film and bags

High density
polythene
(HDPE)

Hard, stiff, able to be sterilised

Plastic bottles, tubing,

household equipment

Thermoset plastics can only be heated and shaped once.

Properties and uses of the thermoset plastics.

Name

Properties

Principal uses

Epoxy resin

Good electrical insulator, hard,

brittle unless reinforced, resists
chemicals well

Casting and encapsulation,

adhesives, bonding of other
materials

Melamine
formaldehyde

Stiff, hard, strong, resists some

chemicals and stains

Laminates for work surfaces,

electrical insulation, tableware

Polyester resin

Stiff, hard, brittle unless laminated,

good electrical insulator, resists
chemicals well

Casting and encapsulation,

bonding of other materials

Name

Properties

Principal uses

Urea
formaldehyde

Stiff, hard, strong, brittle, good

electrical insulator

Electrical fittings, handles and

control knobs, adhesives

Other materials
Composite materials
Composite materials are formed by combining a reinforcing material such as wood pulp,
and a bonding agent, such as glue. The wood pulp is made from the waste from cutting
solid wood. MDF and GRP are examples of composite materials.
Remember: Alloys are not composite materials.

Ceramics
Ceramics are made from clay, sand and feldspar. These materials are ground to a fine
powder, mixed together and fired at high temperatures (700-2000C).

Smart materials
Smart materials are reactive materials. Their properties can be changed by exposure to
stimuli, such as electric and magnetic fields, stress, moisture and temperature.

Smart colours

Smart colours are pigments which can be incorporated into paints, dyes, inks and plastics.

thermochromic pigments react to changes in temperature

photochromic pigments react to changes in light levels
Photochromatic materials are used in the manufacture of sunglasses. Exposure to sunlight
causes the lens of the glasses to darken to protect the eye.

Polymorph
Polymorph is available in small pellets which fuse together when heated to 62C. It can be
moulded into shape resulting in a very tough polymer. Unused pellets can be re-heated and
re-used.
Polymorph is used for:

manufacturing awkward shapes such as ergonomic handles

joining components together
making moulds for vacuum forming

Smart grease
Smart grease is used to control movement, producing a dampened, slowed down feeling. For
example, smart grease is used on volume control knobs and microscope slides.

Conductive polymers
Most plastics are natural insulators. The advantages of making plastics which
areconductors are:

they are easier to manufacture

they are lighter and cheaper than metals
they prevent the build-up of static electricity which can damage microcircuits
Some conductive polymers are also biocompatible, making them suitable for use in medical
devices.

Nanomaterials
Nanoparticles improve the mechanical properties of a material, such as stiffness orelasticity.
When incorporated into polymers, they can be used as lightweight replacements for metals.
Nanomaterials are used in car manufacturing to create cars that are faster, safer and more
fuel efficient. They can also be used to produce more efficient insulation and lighting systems.

Working properties
Different materials exhibit different working properties. Listed below are the key properties
which determine how materials behave.

conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct heat or electrical energy

strength is the ability of a material to withstand a force without breaking or
bending
elasticity is the ability of a material to bend and then to return to its original
shape and size
plasticity is the ability of a material to permanently change in shape
malleability is the ability of a material to permanently deform in all directions
without cracking
ductility is the ability of a material to deform, usually by stretching along its
length
hardness is the ability of a material to resist wear, scratching and indentation
toughness is the ability of a material to withstand blows or sudden shocks
without breaking
durability is the ability of a material to withstand wear, especially as a result of
weathering
fusibility is the ability of a material to change into a liquid or molten state when
heated to its melting point