1.3.1

Modern Materials

Test yourself

Modern Materials: Polymers

New materials are constantly being developed. A good designer needs to keep up to date with current trends and changes so they can adapt their products and designs accordingly.

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Corn starch polymers

  • Corn starch polymers are plastics that are made from vegetable starches and are sustainable.
  • These smart polymers are biodegradable if composted and are often used for animal feed when disposed of.
  • Corn starch polymers readily decompose and are good for the environment and are commonly used in packaging and polymer moulding.
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Polylactic acid (PLA)

  • These biodegradable polymers are smooth or textured and available in a range of colours.
  • These polymers are non-toxic, easily moulded and widely used.
  • Commonly used for bottles, food and drink packaging, phone cases and 3D printer filaments.
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Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB, Biopol)

  • These biodegradable polymers are smooth or textured and available in a range of colours.
  • These polymers are quite brittle, stable, strong and moulded easily.
  • They have limited chemical resistance.
  • Commonly used for bottles, disposable food items and household items.

Modern Materials

New materials are constantly being developed. A good designer needs to keep up to date with current trends and changes so they can adapt their products and designs accordingly.

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Flexible MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard)

  • This man made board is light brown in colour, smooth on one side with a set of grooves cut on the other.
  • This smart board has a series of grooves cut on one side and can be shaped in one direction to form curves and waves.
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Flexible MDF cont.

  • Flexible MDF can be finished in the usual manner by using laminated veneers, varnish and other suitable coatings.
  • Commonly used for interesting modern furniture, internal walls and dividers.
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Titanium

  • This versatile metal has a high strength to weight ratio and is corrosion resistant.
  • This alloy is light grey polished in appearance and can be easily shaped or welded.
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Uses of titanium

  • Commonly used for joint and dental implants as the material does not react with the human body making it hypoallergenic.
  • Also used in jewellery, watches, aircraft and sports cars due to its high strength to weight ratio.
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Fibre optics

  • Used to replace traditional copper wires, these fibres allow the exchange of digital data along thin glass strands.
  • This glass fibre strand is surrounded by a glass cladding covered with stronger fibres and a polymer outer.
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Fibre optics cont.

  • These fibre optic cables are flexible, light and transfer digital data thousands of times faster than traditional copper cables.
  • These materials are commonly used in broadband cables, endoscopic cameras, and lighting display such as fibre optic Christmas trees.

Modern Materials

New materials are constantly being developed. A good designer needs to keep up to date with current trends and changes so they can adapt their products and designs accordingly.

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Graphene

  • Graphene is the thinnest material yet discovered and is one atom thick.
  • Graphene is a million times thinner than a human hair but 200 times stronger than steel.
  • This material is clear, flexible, stretchable, strong, lightweight and impermeable to all known substances.
  • These materials are being developed for use in mobile technology, biomedicine, composites, material coatings and energy storage.
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Liquid crystal display (LCD)

  • Liquid crystal displays are found in a monochrome or colour display format.
  • Numbers or letters are displayed when a voltage is applied to create a symbol or image.
  • These displays have low power consumption, create sharp images, and are compact and flat.
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Liquid crystal display (LCD) uses

  • These displays are commonly used in many electronic products such as watches, clocks, microwaves, flat screen televisions, computer monitors, satellite navigation systems and many more.
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Nano materials

  • Nano materials are derived from the field of nanotechnology meaning the branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100 nanometres, especially the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules.
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Nano materials cont.

  • These materials exist on a molecular or atomic scale and have benefits for electronics, engineering and scientific design.
  • These materials are commonly used in the miniaturisation of electronics, protective coating in the textile industry and particles to improve water resistance.
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Metal foams

  • Metal foams have a closed to open cell structure and are the same colour as most metals.
  • This material is strong, lightweight, electrically and thermally conductive, good sound absorption and very porous.
  • These materials are commonly used in aircraft, car parts, impact absorption and medical implants.

Jump to other topics

1Core Technical Principles

1.1New & Emerging Technologies

1.1.1Industry

1.1.2Enterprise

1.1.3Sustainability

1.1.4People

1.1.5Culture & Society

1.1.6Environment

1.1.7Production Techniques & Systems

1.1.8Emerging Technologies & Design

1.1.9End of Topic Test - New & Emerging Technologies

1.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Emerging Technologies

1.2Energy Generation & Storage

1.2.1Fossil Fuels & Nuclear

1.2.2Renewable Energy

1.2.3Energy Storage Systems

1.3Developments in New Materials

1.3.1Modern Materials

1.3.2Smart Materials

1.3.3Exam-Style Questions - Smart Materials

1.3.4Composite Materials

1.3.5Technical Textiles

1.4Systems Approach to Designing

1.4.1Inputs

1.4.2Processes

1.4.3Outputs

1.4.4Looped Systems

1.5Mechanical Devices

1.5.1Types of Movement

1.5.2Levers

1.5.3Linkages

1.5.4Rotary Systems

1.5.5End of Topic Test - Designing & Mechanical Devices

1.6Materials Categories

1.6.1Timbers

1.6.2Metals & Alloys

1.6.3Metals & Alloys 2

1.6.4Polymers

1.6.5Polymer Types

1.6.6Textiles

1.6.7Textile Types: Fibres

1.6.8Textile Types: Weave

1.6.9Paper & Boards

1.7Material Properties

1.7.1Physical & Working Properties

1.7.2End of Topic Test - Materials

1.7.3Exam-Style Questions - Materials

2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles

2.1Selection of Materials

2.1.1Paper & Boards

2.1.2Working with Paper & Boards

2.2Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses

2.2.1Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses

2.2.2Cardboard & Paper

2.3Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint

2.3.1Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint

2.3.2Paper & Board: The Six Rs

2.3.3Social Issues

2.4Paper & Board: Sources & Origins

2.4.1Paper & Board

2.4.2End of Topic Test - Paper & Board

2.5Paper & Board: Using Materials

2.5.1Paper & Board: Properties of Materials

2.5.2Paper & Board: Modification of Materials

2.5.3Paper & Board: Shape & Form

2.6Paper & Board: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes

2.6.1Paper & Board: Forms

2.6.2Paper & Board: Types

2.6.3Paper & Board: Sizes

2.6.4Paper & Board: Standards Components

2.7Paper & Board: Scales of Production

2.7.1Paper & Board: Scales of Production

2.7.2Exam-Style Questions - Scales of Production

2.8Paper & Board: Specialist Techniques & Processes

2.8.1Paper & Board: Techniques & Processes

2.8.2Paper & Board: Quality Control

2.9Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes

2.9.1Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes

2.9.2End of Topic Test - Specialist Techniques

3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles

3.1Timber: Selection of Materials

3.1.1Timber Based Materials

3.1.2Timber: Environment & Ethics

3.2Timber: Forces & Stresses

3.2.1Timber: Forces & Stresses

3.2.2Timber

3.3Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint

3.3.1Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint

3.3.2Timber: The Six Rs

3.3.3Timber: Social Issues

3.3.4Exam-Style Questions - Timber

3.4Timber: Sources & Origins

3.4.1Timber

3.4.2Timber: Processing & Seasoning

3.4.3Manufactured Board

3.4.4End of Topic Test - Timber

3.5Timber: Using Materials

3.5.1Timber: Properties of Materials

3.5.2Timber: Modification of Materials

3.5.3Timber: Shape & Form

3.5.4Timber: Shape & Form 2

3.6Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes

3.6.1Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes

3.7Timber: Scales of Production

3.7.1Timber: Scales of Production

3.8Timber: Specialist Techniques & Processes

3.8.1Timber: Tools, Equipment & Processes

3.8.2Timber: Tools, Equipment & Processes 2

3.8.3Timber: Quality Control

3.9Timber: Surface Treatments & Finishes

3.9.1Timber: Surface Treatments

3.9.2Timber: Finishes

3.9.3End of Topic Test - Specialist Techniques

4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles

4.1Metals: Selection of Materials

4.1.1Metal-Based Materials

4.1.2Ferrous Metals

4.1.3Non-Ferrous Metals

4.1.4Alloys

4.1.5Metals: Environment & Ethics

4.2Metals: Forces & Stresses

4.2.1Metals: Forces & Stresses

4.3Metals: Ecological & Social Footprint

4.3.1Metals: Ecological Footprint

4.3.2Metals: Social Footprint

4.3.3Metals: The Six R's

4.3.4Metals: Social Issues

4.4Metals: Sources & Origins

4.4.1Origins of Metal

4.4.2Processing Metals

4.5Metals: Alloy-Based Materials

4.5.1Types of Metal Alloys

4.5.2Alloying Elements

4.5.3Properties & Benefits

4.5.4Processing & Fabrication

4.5.5Applications of Alloys

4.5.6Metal Alloys in Industry

4.5.7Applications of Metal Alloys

4.6Metals: Using Materials

4.6.1Properties of Metals

4.6.2Modification of Metals

4.6.3Metals: Shape & Form

4.7Metals: Scales of Production

4.7.1Metals: Scales of Production

4.8Metals: Specialist Techniques & Processes

4.8.1Metals: Tools

4.8.2Metals: Tools & Equipment

4.8.3Metals: Cutting, Forming & Machining Processes

4.8.4Metals: Joining, Casting & Heat Treatment Process

4.9Metals: Quality Control

4.9.1Metals: Quality Control

4.9.2Metals: Quality Control Processes

4.10Metals: Surface Treatments & Finishes

4.10.1Metals: Surface Treatments

4.10.2Metals: Surface Treatments for Metals

4.10.3Metals: Finishes

4.10.4Metals: Finishing Techniques for Metals

5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles

5.1Polymers

5.1.1Polymers: Functionality & Aesthetics

5.1.2Polymers: Environment & Ethics

5.1.3Polymers: Sources, Origins & Properties

5.1.4Polymers: Forces & Stresses

5.1.5Polymers: Ecological & Social Footprint

5.1.6Polymers: The Six R's

5.2Polymer Categories

5.2.1Categories of Polymers

5.2.2Thermoforming Polymers

5.2.3Thermosetting Polymers

5.3Polymer Forms

5.3.1Polymers: Stock Forms

5.3.2Polymers: Shape & Form

5.4Polymer Production, Techniques & Quality Control

5.4.1Polymers: Scales of Production

5.4.2Polymers: Specialist Techniques & Processes

5.4.3Polymers: Quality Control Systems: Tolerance

5.4.4Polymers: Finishes

6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles

6.1Textile Materials

6.1.1Origin of Textiles

6.1.2Textile Industry

6.2Selection of Materials

6.2.1Natural Fibres

6.2.2Synthetic Fibres

6.2.3Environmental Concerns

6.2.4Environmental Impact

6.2.5Ethical Challenges

6.3Forces & Stresses

6.3.1Forces & Stresses

6.4Ecological & Social Footprint

6.4.1Ecological Footprint

6.4.2Social Footprint

6.4.3Addressing Ecological & Social Footprints

6.4.4The Six R's

6.4.5Labour Conditions

6.4.6Social Issues

6.4.7Addressing Social Issues

7Designing & Making Principles

7.1Investigation & Data

7.1.1Iterative Design

7.1.2Primary & Secondary Data

7.1.3Market Research

7.1.4Ergonomics

7.1.5Specifications

7.1.6End of Topic Test - Investigation & Data

7.1.7Exam-Style Questions - Specifications

7.2Environmental, Social & Economic Challenges

7.2.1Challenges

7.2.2Your Research

7.3The Work of Others

7.3.1Designers

7.3.2Architects

7.3.3Product Design

7.3.4Industrial Designers

7.3.5Product Design Companies

7.3.6Textile Design Companies

7.3.7End of Topic Test - The Work of Others

7.4Design Strategies

7.4.1Design Strategies

7.5Communication of Design Ideas

7.5.1Design Communication

7.6Prototype Development

7.6.1Prototype Development

7.7Selection of Materials

7.7.1Materials

7.8Tolerances

7.8.1Tolerances

7.9Material Management

7.9.1Managing Material

7.9.2Tools

7.10Specialist Equipment

7.10.1Health & Safety

7.11Specialist Techniques & Processes

7.11.1Specialist Techniques & Processes

7.11.2Surface Finishes

7.11.3End of Topic Test - Designing & Making

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Energy Storage Systems

Smart Materials