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HNC Unit 3 - Engineering Science LO3 - Explore The Characteristics and Properties of Engineering Materials

This document describes the structural properties and types of degradation found in metals and non-metals. It provides details on carbon steel and high density polyethylene (HDPE), including their properties, structures, and applications. For metals, it outlines various types of corrosion including uniform, crevice, pitting, erosion, and stress corrosion cracking. For non-metals like ceramics, composites and plastics, it notes they do not rust but can degrade through loss of properties from chemical reactions or deterioration from factors like UV light, dissolution, and weathering over time.

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Noel Jennings
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110 views7 pages

HNC Unit 3 - Engineering Science LO3 - Explore The Characteristics and Properties of Engineering Materials

This document describes the structural properties and types of degradation found in metals and non-metals. It provides details on carbon steel and high density polyethylene (HDPE), including their properties, structures, and applications. For metals, it outlines various types of corrosion including uniform, crevice, pitting, erosion, and stress corrosion cracking. For non-metals like ceramics, composites and plastics, it notes they do not rust but can degrade through loss of properties from chemical reactions or deterioration from factors like UV light, dissolution, and weathering over time.

Uploaded by

Noel Jennings
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ellis Bridger Group 2 - Noel Jennings

HNC Unit 3 - Engineering Science


LO3 - Explore the Characteristics and Properties of
Engineering Materials

P6 - Describe the structural properties of metals and non-metals


with reference to their material properties

Metals

A metal is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured,


shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat
relatively well. Metals are typically malleable or ductile.
Carbon Steel Carbon steel is a common type of steel that is an alloy of
iron and carbon. It has a higher carbon content, lower melting point and
greater durability compared to stainless steel. Carbon steel is the most
widely used engineering and construction material for industrial
applications on a large scale, including marine structures, power plants,
transportation, chemical processing and petroleum production and
refining.

Properties Carbon Steel


Appearance Bright, Shiny
Hardness/Strength Strong, 620MPa
Malleability Malleable
Ductility Ductile
Heat Conduction Poor Conductor
Conduction of Electricity Poor Conductor
State Solid
Density Higher, 7.85g/cm3
Iron, in its solid form, assumes a crystalline structure, meaning simply
that the iron atoms are arranged in a regular, repeating pattern called a
lattice. Many lattices exist in nature, but iron comes in one of two forms -
the body-centered cube, which exists at higher temperatures and the
face-centered cube, its room-temperature form.

Adding carbon to liquid iron, typically in amounts ranging from .035% to


3.5% by mass, changes what happens when the mixture cools to its
freezing point (roughly 1,500°C). Instead of going from being a body-
centered lattice to becoming a face-centered lattice, the iron atoms settle
directly into the latter. At the same time, the carbon atoms lodge in the
center of these cubes. This ultimately accounts for the greater durability
of steel compared to pure iron.
Non-Metals

Non-metals are those that tend to lack all the metallic attributes. They
are natural materials that do not produce heat or electricity and that are
structurally brittle.

High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made


from petroleum. As one the most versatile plastics around, HDPE is
used in a wide variety of applications, including plastic bottles, cutting
boards and piping. It is known for its outstanding tensile strength and
large strength to density ratio, HDPE has a high impact resistance and
melting point.

Properties HDPE
Appearance Translucent/Waxy/Dull
Strength 38 MPa
Malleability Malleable
Ductility Ductile
Heat Conduction Poor Conductor
Conductor of Electricity No
State Solid
Density 950kg/m3
HDPE mostly features a low degree of branching where the linear
molecules or the polymer chains are packed together tightly. The
presence of a strong intermolecular force results in a dense, highly
crystalline material. The tensile strength of high-density polyethylene is
very high – it can withstand heavier loads than most of the other types of
polyethylene.
P7 - Explain the types of degradation found in metals and non
metals

Metals

Uniform corrosion is the most common type of corrosion and is


characterized by attacks over the entire surface area of the metal
exposed to a corroding agent. This type of corrosion is typically caused
by chemical or electrochemical reactions that cause the metal to be
consumed while forming oxides or other compounds over large visible
areas. These reactions cause the metal to lose thickness over time and
can continue until the metal has been dissolved entirely. The main
example of this is Rust.

Crevice corrosion is a highly penetrative type of localized corrosion that


occurs in or directly adjacent to gaps or crevices on the surface of a
metal. These crevices can be the result of a connection between two
surfaces (metal to metal or metal to non-metal), or by an accumulation of
deposits (dirt, mud, biofouling, etc.). This type of corrosion is
characterized by deterioration in the area of the crevice while the
surrounding areas of the metal substrate remain unaffected.

Pitting corrosion, also known as pitting, is another localized form of


corrosion that occurs on metal surfaces. Pitting typically manifests itself
as small diameter cavities or holes on the object's surface while the
remainder of the metallic surface remains unattacked. This form of
corrosion is also highly penetrative and is considered to be one of the
most dangerous types of corrosion because it is difficult to predict and
has a tendency to cause sudden and extreme failures.

Erosion corrosion is another form of degradation in metals. It is defined


as the accelerated deterioration of a metal that results from the relative
movement between a corrosive liquid and a metal’s surface. As the fluid
flows along the surface (usually at high velocities), the metal’s passive
oxide layer may be removed or dissolved, leaving the alloy susceptible
to damage. During this process, the metal may be removed in the form
of dissolved ions or as corrosion products that are mechanically swept
from the metal surface due to the force of the flowing fluid. For example,
pipelines are vulnerable to this type of corrosion.
Stress corrosion cracking is a form of corrosion marked by the
formation of fine cracks on specific areas on the metal surface while the
metal remains unattacked over most of its surface area. This cracking is
usually due to the simultaneous presence of tensile stresses in a
corrosive environment. SCC is considered to be an insidious form of
corrosion because the damage is sometimes not immediately detected
during inspections and can result in sudden catastrophic failures.
Examples of causes include welding, heat treatments and cold
deformations.

Non - Metals

Ceramics, composites and plastic materials do not rust. Corrosion


deterioration is in the form of loss of properties. Bonds between the
organic molecules making up these "plastic" structures can be adversely
affected by various corrosive environments. Many of the corrosion
processes that occur in metals are electrochemical (i.e. they require flow
of electrons). Plastics and ceramics as well as composite materials are
poor conductors and are not susceptible to electrochemical corrosion as
metals. They corrode but not as readily, and the corrosion occurs when
unstable molecules in the environment react chemically with the
molecules making up these non-metal materials.

Most plastics corrode by direct photochemical attack, dissolution,


permeation, weathering and aging. As an example plastics and carbon
fiber fabrics deteriorate under extensive exposure to ultraviolet light.
Rubber corrosion ensues as tires craze and crack with the aging of
their polymers. Ceramics were found to corrode in various chemical
environments at high temperatures. The corrosion resistance of
ceramics and glasses decreases rapidly with increase in temperature.

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