• Classification of Materials

• Advanced Materials
• Modern Material’s Needs
Like many other things, materials are classified in groups, so that our
brain can handle the complexity. One could classify them according to
structure, or properties, or use. The one that we will use is according
to the way the atoms are bound together:

1. Metals
2. Semiconductors
3. Ceramics
4. Polymers
5. Other Materials
1. METALS
- valence electrons are detached from atoms, and spread in an 'electron sea' that
"glues" the ions together. Metals are usually strong, conduct electricity and heat well
and are opaque to light (shiny if polished).

GOLD BRASS ALUMINUM

Metals are very reactive. Metals tend to loose electrons easily and form
positively charged ions; therefore metals are called electropositive
elements.
2. SEMICONDUCTORS
- the bonding is covalent (electrons are shared between atoms). Their electrical
properties depend extremely strongly on minute proportions of contaminants.
They are opaque to visible light but transparent to the infrared.
- Semiconductors are materials whose electrical resistivity is between insulator
and conductor; limits flow of electricity.
- Their resistance decreases as their temperature increases.
3. CERAMICS
- atoms behave mostly like either positive or negative ions, and are bound by
Coulomb forces between them. They are usually combinations of metals or
semiconductors with oxygen, nitrogen or carbon (oxides, nitrides, and carbides).
- The bonding of atoms together is much stronger in covalent and ionic bonding
than in metallic. That is why, generally speaking, metals are ductile and ceramics
are brittle.
3. CERAMICS
In general, most ceramics are:
• hard,
• wear-resistant,
• brittle,
• refractory,
• thermal insulators,
• electrical insulators,
• nonmagnetic,
• oxidation resistant,
• prone to thermal shock, and
• chemically stable.
4. POLYMERS
- are bound by covalent forces and also by weak van der Waals forces, and usually
based on H, C and other non-metallic elements. They decompose at moderate
temperatures (100 – 400 C), and are lightweight.
- both synthetic and natural polymers play essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday
life.
OTHER CATEGORIES (based on composition):
- made of different materials in intimate contact to achieve specific properties.
Ex.

WOOD FIBERGLASS CONCRETE

OTHER CATEGORIES (based on composition):
BIOMATERIALS
- The biomaterial term is used for materials that can be used in biomedical and
clinical applications, for instance, used for human transplant. Ex. 316L stainless
steel, cobalt chromium alloys (CoCrMo), titanium-based alloys (Ti-6Al-4V) and
miscellaneous others (including tantalum, gold, dental amalgams and other
“specialty” metals).
BIOMATERIALS
Requirements of a Biomaterial to be used in clinical operations:
1. the material must be biocompatible; it means that the organism should not treat
it as a foreign object.
2. the material should be biodegradable (for in-graft only); the material should
harmlessly degrade or dissolve in the body of the organism to allow it to resume
natural functioning.
3. the material should be mechanically sound; for the replacement of load bearing
structures, the material should possess equivalent or greater mechanical stability
to ensure high reliability of the graft.
Materials used in "High-Tec" applications, usually designed for maximum
performance, and normally expensive.

TITANIUM ALLOY MAGNETIC ALLOY HEAT SHIELD

* Engine efficiency increases at high temperatures: requires high temperature
structural materials
* Use of nuclear energy requires solving problem with residues, or advances in
nuclear waste processing.
* Hypersonic flight requires materials that are light, strong and resist high
temperatures.
* Optical communications require optical fibers that absorb light negligibly.
* Civil construction – materials for unbreakable windows.
* Structures: materials that are strong like metals and resist corrosion like plastics.