By S.

Muthurajan Lecturer Department of Mechanical Engineering Salalah College of Technology Salalah

Introduction
Materials science and engineering plays a vital role in this modern age of science and technology. Various kinds of materials are used in industry, housing, agriculture, transportation, etc. Engineering materials used to manufacture of articles or products, dictates which manufacturing process or processes are to be used to provide it the desired shape. The basic knowledge of engineering materials and their properties is of great significance for a design and manufacturing engineer. A large numbers of engineering materials exists in the universe such as metals and non metals (leather, rubber, asbestos, plastic, ceramics, organic polymers, composites and semi conductor).

Classification Of Engineering Materials

Metals
Ferrous Metal Non ferrous metal

Polymers
Thermoplastics Thermoset plastics Elastomers

Ceramics
Alumina Glass Carbides

Composites
Fiber Reinforces plastics Steel reinforced concrete

Semi conductors
Silicon Germanium

Metals and alloys

Pure metals possess low strength and do not have the required properties. So, alloys are produced by melting or sintering two or more metals or metals and a non-metal, together.

Alloys may consist of two more components. Metals and alloys are further classified into two major kind namely ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals.
(a) Ferrous metals are those which have the iron as their main constituent, such as pig iron, cast iron, wrought iron and steels. (b) Non-ferrous metals are those which have a metal other than iron as their main constituent, such as copper, aluminium, tin, silver , zinc etc.

Different types of Materials

Now find what is the material used here to make wire

Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals are iron base metals which include all variety of pig iron, cast iron wrought iron and steels. The ferrous metals are those which have iron as their main constituents. The ferrous metals commonly used in engineering practice are cast iron, wrought iron, steel and alloy steels.

Main Types of Iron Cast Iron Steel Plain Carbon Steel Eg : Mild Steel Alloy Steel Eg : Stainless Steel White Cast iron Grey Cast iron Malleable Cast iron Ductile Cast iron

Cast Iron
Cast iron is basically an alloy of iron and carbon The carbon content in cast iron varies from 1.7% to 6.67%. It also contains small amounts of silicon, manganese, phosphorus and sulphur in form of impurities elements. Cast iron is very brittle in nature and weak in tension. It has low cost, good casting characteristics, high compressive strength, high wear resistance and excellent machinability

Cast Iron
Machine tool structures such as bed, frames, column etc. Man holes covers. Rolling mill and general machinery parts. Cylinder blocks and heads for I.C. engines. General machinery parts. White CI is used to produce malleable iron castings. For manufacturing those component or parts which require a hard, and abrasion resistant surface such as rim of car. Railway brake blocks.

Cast Iron products

Steel
It is an alloy of Iron and Carbon . Carbon content varies from 0 to 2% . Mild steel also called as low carbon steel having 0.8% of C It is ductile in nature. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, carbon, chromium, manganese etc., Stainless steel have good corrosion resistance because the presence of chromium. It is useful for making kitchen vessels.

Steel products

Aluminium & its alloys

Aluminium is less in weight It has good corrosion resistance and strength It is used in aircraft, electric cable, can for cool drinks etc.,

Polymers
Polymers consist of carbon chemically combined with usually with hydrogen, oxygen or other non- metallic substances. They are formed by polymerization reaction in which simple molecules are chemically combined into long chain molecules. Plastics are commonly known as synthetic resins or polymers. In Greek terminology, the term polymer comprises poly means many and mers means parts.

Examples: Nylon, Teflon, Polyethylene, PVC, Terylene, Cotton etc.

Applications Polymers are used in making packing's, pipes, covers and insulating materials etc.

Types of Polymers
Thermoplastics Those plastics which can be easily softened again and again by heating are called thermoplastic. Eg:- Polyethylene, Nylon, PVC Plastic covers, plastic pipes, toys etc., Thermosets Those plastics which are hardened by heat, effecting a non-reversible chemical change, are called thermo-setting. Eg:- Polyesters, Bakelite Electric plugs, Furniture material etc., Elastomers Highly elastic in nature. Eg:- Rubber It is used to make rubber products like tyres, tubes etc.,

Nylon Rope

PVC Pipes

PET Bottles

Electric Switches

Nylon fabric

Polyethylene Bags

Tyre

Ceramics
Ceramic materials are in organic, non-metallic material made of inorganic compounds such as oxides, nitrides, borides and carbides. Theses materials are fabricated by first shaping the powder with or without the application of pressure into a compact form and after that it is subjected to high temperature.

Ceramics possesses electrical, magnetic, chemical and thermal properties which are exceptionally good.
Examples: MgO, SiC, Al2O3, glass, cement, garnets, concrete etc.

Glasses
It is based on silicon dioxide or silicate. It is mixed with other oxides of sodium, calcium and boron to improve some properties. It is very brittle.

It is used mostly in kitchen appliances.

Glass

Silica stone

Silica sand

Domestic ceramics
They are made from Clay Clay is a naturally occurring aluminium silicate composed primarily of fine-grained minerals. It can be mixed with water to get a paste. After giving shape, the water will be dried off and then heated to high temperature.

Aluminium Silicate

Aluminium Silicate powder

 Earthenware: Flower pots, house bricks, roof tiles Vitreous china: Kitchen items, sanitary ware etc.,

Cement : It is made of crystalline particles of CaO, silica and alumina. It becomes very hard when treated with water.

Wash Basin

House Bricks

Roof tiles

Engineering Ceramics Alumina Carbides Nitrides : High thermal and electrical resistance used as a cutting tool and high quality thermal and electrical insulation : Tungsten and Titanium carbides are very hard materials used for cutting tools : Silicon nitrides and Boron nitrides used in engine parts and cutting tools

Alumina Grinding wheel

Alumina Electrical insulator

Alumina & Silicon nitride cutting tools

Natural Ceramics It is available in the nature as a result of biological or geological processes Carbonaceous materials : Chalk, Lime stone and marble Silicaceous materials : Granite and Basalt

Marbles

Granite

Basalt

Limestone

Semi conductors Semiconductors are solid materials, either non-metallic elements or compounds which allow electrons to pass through them. These materials occupy intermediate position between conductors and insulators. They are neither good conductors or bad conductors. This is suitable for electronic applications like diodes, transistors, capacitors etc., Examples : Silicon and Germanium

Integrated Circuit chip

Germanium Diode

Composite materials It is made up of two or more materials. In composites, the base material is called as matrix material. There are three types of composites : Polymer matrix composite Metal matrix composite Ceramic matrix composite

The other materials are added into this matrix as particles or fibers. FRP is a composite have the plastic as a base metal and carbon fibers or glass fibers as sub metal

Examples: Vinyl coated steels, steel reinforced concrete, fiber reinforced plastics, carbon reinforced rubber etc.
Applications These materials are used for making aircraft structures, automobile parts, sports items, structures, and electrical devices.

Carbon Fiber Reinforce Plastics

Steel Reinforced Concrete (RCC)

RCC Fencing poles

RCC Pipes

RCC Slab