1. For each of the 7 “High Performance Materials” you need to know:
High Performance Materials: Top Trump Cards
For each of the 7 “High Performance Materials” you need to know:
Properties
Examples of use
Reasons for use
Improvements on traditional materials
The cards can be used for revision, testing each other in pairs, and playing games to help you remember the info
High Performance Materials: Ceramics – Boron Carbide
Properties:
Extremely hard and relatively lightweight
Examples of use:
Tank Armour, Bulletproof vests, Padlocks
Reasons for Use:
Very hard, to resist attack or destruction
Improvements on traditional materials: Steel is heavier and not as hard.
High Performance Materials: Ceramics - Cubic Boron Nitride
Properties:
Abrasive (wears away other materials), similar structure to diamond
Examples of use:
Filing/wearing away metals. Tool bits, cutting tools
Reasons for Use: Harder than everything else it might have to smooth, or cut (can be used on super alloys)
Improvements on traditional materials: Normal Steel files/cutting bits would blunt quickly on hard materials (like super alloys)
High Performance Materials: Ceramics – Zirconia
Properties:
Low cost, Durable, Perfectly clear, Looks like diamond
Examples of use: Abrasives, Refractory material (used to bend light/lasers), Decoration, Teeth! (crowns)
Reasons for Use:
Very hard, Clear and colourless, Can be cut into a diamond shape
Improvements on traditional materials: Cheaper than diamond
High Performance Materials: Metals - Tungsten
Properties:
Hard (when made into TUNGSTEN CARBIDE) and Strong EVEN WHEN HOT
Examples of use:
Lathe Tools, Milling Tools, Light bulb filaments
Reasons for Use:
Doesn’t get blunt quickly even when HOT and Doesn’t break when HOT
Improvements on traditional materials: Steel is not as hard and is too easily softened by heat (unlike Tungsten)
High Performance Materials: Metals - Titanium
Properties:
Light weight, Strong, Ductile (can be made long lengths)
Examples of use:
Aerospace (Aircraft Landing Gear), BioMedical (hip replacement)
Reasons for Use:
Light in weight but high strength
Improvements on traditional materials: Steel is heavier, Aluminium is not as strong
High Performance Materials: Super Alloys – Nickel Based
Properties:
Light-weight, Strong even at High Temperatures, Corrosion-resistant
Examples of use:
Aircraft engine parts, Power station turbine parts, Casting Dies
Reasons for Use: When spinning at high speed & temperatures it won’t break even if it gets wet
Improvements on traditional materials: Stronger than Titanium / Stainless Steel at higher temperatures) (& lighter than steel)
High Performance Materials: Super Alloys – Cobalt Based
Properties:
Lightweight & Corrosion resistant
Strong at EXTREMELY high temperatures
Examples of use:
High Temperature Turbine parts (aerospace/power stations)
Reasons for Use: When spinning at high speed & EXTREME temperatures it won’t break even if it gets wet
Improvements on traditional materials: Stronger than Titanium (& even Nickel-based Superalloys)even at EXTREME temperatures