Developments in new materials

Question 1

what is a modern material

Answer 1

a material that has been engineered to have improved properties

Question 2

examples of modern materials

Answer 2

Concrete, aluminium and steel, graphene, titanium, metal foams

Question 3

properties of graphene

Answer 3

• single carbon layer material
• very strong, 100x stronger than steel
• light
• good conductor of heat and electricity
• used in tennis rackets

Question 4

properties of titanium

Answer 4

• corrosion resistant
• high strength to weight ratio
• difficult and therefore expensive to machine
• used for bone replacements, bikes, ships, armour

Question 5

properties of metal foams

Answer 5

• metal foam is a metal that contains many gas filled spaces which make it LIGHTWEIGHT
• stiff
• tough
• strong under compression
• used in lightweight car parts(as they can absorb shock) and bone implants

Question 6

properties of LCDs

Answer 6

• used in flat screen displays
• thin
• lightweight
• energy efficient
• originally used in calculators
• high definition displays

Question 7

how do LCDs work in a display

Answer 7

• the liquid crystals used in the display are made of a mixture of chemicals
• when an electrical current is passed through, the crystal shape is modified
• this changes the image seen on the screen

Question 8

properties of nanomaterials

Answer 8

• made out of nanoparticles

Question 9

properties of carbon nanotubes

Answer 9

• high strength to weight ratio
• good conductors of heat and electricity
• can be added to a material to strengthen it without adding much weight

Question 10

properties of self cleaning fabrics

Answer 10

have a nanoparticle coating that removes odours and stains upon exposure to light

Question 11

properties of antibacterial fabrics

Answer 11

use nanoparticles of silver to kill bacteria, also have medical uses like face masks and dressings

Question 12

properties of coated metals

Answer 12

• iron and steel can be galvanised to prevent rusting, they can also be elctroplated

Question 13

what is anodised aluminium

Answer 13

has a coating of aluminium to make the surface harder and resistant to corrosion

Question 14

PVC coated metals

Answer 14

metals like steel can be coated with PVC to make it corrosion resistant

Question 15

what is a smart material

Answer 15

materials that change their properties in response to a stimuli

Question 16

what are shape memory alloys

Answer 16

metal alloys that can remember their shape when heated

Question 17

examples of shape memory alloys

Answer 17

• nitinol, used in glasses, if you bend them by accident and heat them in a bowl of hot water, and they’ll jump back into shape
• braces also made using nitinol, are warmed up in the mouth and ‘pull’ on the teeth, so they move with the nitinol

Question 18

what are thermochromic pigments

Answer 18

used in colour changing products, they react to temperature
- when temperature increases, the product changes colour, the colour changes back when the object returns to its original temperature

Question 19

uses of thermochromic pigments

Answer 19

babies feeding spoons, so parents know the food isn’t too hot

Question 20

what are photochromic pigments

Answer 20

things that change colour in response to light

Question 21

examples of photochromic pigments

Answer 21

spectacle lesnes, go dark (turn into sunglasses) in dark light, but go back to bright when in light
- photochromic inks can be used to print t shirts with designs that only show in sunlight

Question 22

what are composite materials

Answer 22

a combination of two or more materials to improve properties

Question 23

examples of composite materials

Answer 23

• Glass reinforced plastic (GRP)
• Carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CRP)

Question 24

properties of GRP

Answer 24

• Glass fibres coated in thermosetting plastic resin
• strong
• tough
• heat resistant
• easy to mould into complex shapes

Question 25

uses of GRP

Answer 25

- Boats -Kayaks - PCBs - Surfboards

Question 26

properties of CRP

Answer 26

- Carbon fibres coated in thermosetting plastic resin - lighter, tougher, stronger than GRP - more expensive

Question 27

CRP uses

Answer 27

- protective helmets - bulletproof vests - racing cars - sports equipment -laptops

Question 28

what are technical textiles

Answer 28

enhanced fabrics, designed to be functional

Question 29

properties of Kevlar

Question 30

examples of technical fabrics

Answer 30

- Nylon - Kevlar - Nomex

Question 31

properties of Kevlar

Answer 31

- tightly woven fabric - great impact resistance - strong - resistant to abrasion

Question 32

Kevlar uses

Answer 32

- bulletproof vests - motorcyclist clothing - used to reinforce tyres

Question 33

properties of Nomex

Answer 33

- fire resistant - cant be washed or worn away - used in firefighters and racing drivers clothing

Question 34

properties of micro encapsulation fabrics

Answer 34

- insect repellent - odour neutraliser - chemical coated in shells then embedded in fabric

Question 35

uses of micro encapsulation fabrics

Answer 35

- antibacterial socks - scented lingerie

Question 36

properties of conductive fabrics

Answer 36

- fibres that can conduct electricity

Question 37

uses of conductive fabrics

Answer 37

used to integrate electronics into clothing and in touchscreen gloves

Question 38

advantages of using composite materials in packaging

Answer 38

- improved strength - improved insulation properties - improved resistance to water

Question 39

disadvantages of using composite materials for packaging

Answer 39

- not biodegradeable - not always recycled so may end up in landfills - difficult to separate materials from each other for recycling at the end of their lives