Materials

Materials

1. Wood

   • Softwood
     • pine
     • Birch
   • Hardwood
     • Mahogony
     • Oak
   • Manufactured boards
     • MDF
     • Plywood
     • Hardwood
     • Chipboard

2. Metals

   • Ferrous
     • Steels
   • Non-ferrous
     • Aluminium
   • Alloys
     • Mixture of metals

3. Plastics

   • Thermosetting
     • Epoxy resin
     • Melamine formaldehyde
   • Thermoplastics
     • Polyamide (Nylon)
     • Polymethyl methacrylate (Acrylic)

4. Ceramics

   • made from clay
   • ground to a fine powder, mixed together and fired at high temperatures

5. Composite materials

   • combining a reinforcing material
     • e.g.wood pulp and glue.
       • MDF

6. Smart materials

   • Smart colours
     • pigments which are put into paints ,dyes ,inks and plastics.
     • thermochromic
       • photochromic(light)
   • Polymorph
     • small pellets
     • joining components together making moulds for vacuum forming
       • can be moulded into shape resulting in a very tough polymer
   • Smart grease
     • controlled movement
   • Conductive polymers
     • Natural insulators
       • easier to make
       • lighter/cheaper
   • Nanomaterials
     • improve mechanical properties
     • used in car manufacture
       • more efficient insulation