A composite material is made by combining two or more materials that are mutually insoluble by mixing or bonding them in such a way that each maintains its integrity. Some composites, plastics modified by adding rubber particles, plastics reinforced by chopped glass fibers, cemented carbides, and concrete. These and many Read more…
Ceramics and glasses are solids that are neither metallic nor organic (carbon-chain based) materials. Ceramics thus include clay products, such as porcelain, china, and brick, and also natural stone and concrete. Ceramics used in high-stress applications, called engineering ceramics, are often relatively simple compounds of metals, or the metalloids silicon Read more…
Polymers are materials consisting of long-chain molecules formed primarily by carbon-to-carbon bonds. Examples include all materials commonly referred to as plastics, most familiar natural and synthetic fibers, rubbers, and cellulose and lignin in wood. Polymers that are produced or modified by man for use as engineering materials can be classified Read more…
Quenching and tempering to produce a martensitic structure is the most effective means of strengthening steels. In the common nonferrous metals, martensite may not occur; and where it does occur, the effect is not as large as in steels. Hence, the other methods of strengthening, which are generally less effective, Read more…
Iron-based alloys, also called ferrous alloys, include cast irons and steels and are the most widely used structural metals. Steels consist primarily of iron and contain some carbon and manganese, and often additional alloying elements. They are distinguished from nearly pure iron, which is called ingot iron, and also from Read more…
Approximately 80% of the one-hundred-plus elements in the periodic table can be classed as metals. A number of these possess combinations of availability and properties that lead to their use as engineering metals where mechanical strength is needed. The most widely used engineering metal is iron, which is the main Read more…
Elastic deformation involves the stretching of chemical bonds. When the stress is removed, the deformation disappears. More drastic events can occur which have the effect of rearranging the atoms so that they have new neighbors after the deformation is complete. This causes an inelastic deformation that does not disappear when Read more…
There are three basic types of deformation: elastic, plastic, and creep deformation. Elastic deformation is discussed next, and this leads to some rough theoretical estimates of strength for solids. Elastic Deformation Elastic deformation is associated with stretching, but not breaking, the chemical bonds between the atoms in a solid. If Read more…
Metals and ceramics are composed of aggregations of small grains, each of which is an individual crystal. In contrast, glasses have an amorphous or non-crystalline structure. Polymers are composed of chainlike molecules, which are sometimes arranged in regular arrays in a crystalline manner. Basic Crystal Structure of Materials The arrangement Read more…
Design is the process of choosing the geometric shape, materials, manufacturing method, and other details needed to completely describe a machine, vehicle, structure, or other engineered item. This process involves a wide range of activities and objectives. It is first necessary to assure that the item is capable of performing Read more…