MATERIALS CLASSIFICATION

MATERIALS CLASSIFICATION

1. Metals

   • composed of 1 or more metallic elements and some times also non-metallic elements.
     • their properties are: Crystalline, relative dense, stiff and ductile, good conductors of electrical heat, opaque and reflective and some of them have magnetic properties.

2. Ceramics

   • Compounds between metallics and non-metallics elements.
     • their properties are: Strong, brittle, insulator of heat and electricity, can be transparent, translucid or opaque and some of them have magnetic properties.

3. Polymers

   • Compounds chemically based on carbon, hydrogen and non-metallic elements
     • their properties are: Low density, not stiff and strong, ductile, chemically inert, decomposes at low temperatures, insulators and they are non-magnetics.

4. Composites

   • Composed of 2 or more individual materials such as metals, ceramics and polymers.

5. Advanced materials

   • Used for high technology applications
     • Semiconductors
       • Have electrical properties intermediate between that of metals and insulators.
     • Biomaterials
       • Used in components implanted into the human body for replacement of diseased or damaged body parts
     • Smart materials
       • Are a group of new materials which can sense change in their environments and then respond to these changes in predeterminated way.