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Engineering Material Assignment 2

EWQ

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19 views

Engineering Material Assignment 2

EWQ

Uploaded by

donnellmapfs
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DONNELL MAPFUMO

ASSIGNMENT 2

Q. 1
a). Differentiate the terms brass and bronze and give any two of their distinct uses in industry.

Bronze and brass are both alloys of copper,but have distinct differences in terms of composition,
properties and uses.

Composition:

Brass—copper(60%-70%) and Zinc(30%-40%)

Bronze—copper(85-90%) and Tin(10-15%)

Properties:

Brass—ductile ,corrosion resistance, attractive appearance

Bronze—Strong, wear resistant

Uses:

Brass— Ammunition purposes ,Decorative features e.g doorKnobs

Bronze—bearing components ,marine hardware e.g propellers

b). Explain the outstanding properties of aluminium.

Lightweight--has a low density making it ideal for weight sensitive applications

Aluminium has a high strength to weight ratio

Aluminium is corrosion resistant due to its thick oxide layer, which protects it form environmental
degradation

It is an excellent conductor of electricity making it widely used in electrical transmission lines

It is a good thermal conductor

It is malleable and ductile which means it can be easily shaped

Aluminium is non-toxic thus making it ideal for food packaging

c). Discuss any two important aluminium alloys, giving its composition, heat treatment, structure, and
properties.
Alloy 6061 (Al-Mg-Si-Cu)

Composition: aluminium(95-98%),Magnesium(0.8-1.2%) ,Silicon(08),Copper(0.4)

Heat treatment: solution is heated at 520 degrees,followed by quenching and precipitation hardening at
160 to 180 degrees.

Structure: precipitation hardened alloy with a uniform distribution Mg2Si and CuAl2 particles

Properties: High strength to weight ratio, good corrosive resistance


Alloy 7075(Al-Zn-Mg-Cu)

Composition: Aluminium (87.1-91.4%), Zinc (5.1-6.1%), Magnesium (2.1-2.9%), Copper (1.2-2.0%)

Heat treatment: Solution heated at 470 degrees followed by quenching and precipitation hardening at
120 to 140 degrees

Structure: precipitation hardened alloy with a high density of ZnAl2 and MgZn2 particles

Properties: : High strength to weight ratio, good corrosive resistance

Q. 2
a). Explain what are ceramics by giving examples and stating their properties and their usage
Ceramics are usually inorganic , non metallic materials that a crystalline in nature with high melting
points ], thus they require high temperatures for their processing, they are classified as oxides,
carbides,nitrides and silicides.

Their bonds are a combination of ionic and covelant bonds.

Properties:

 High melting points


 Brittle (cannot be bent or deformed)
 Chemically inert (they do not react with other chemicals or the environment)
 durable
 High strength (when a compressive load is applied however if you apply a bending load or
tension , they are quite weak)
 Hard , wear – resistant , electrically and thermally insulating , chemically stable and non-
magnetic

Examples:
 Silicon Carbide: Utilized in industrial applications due to its high hardness and thermal
conductivity.
 Alumina (Aluminum Oxide): Used in electronic substrates and abrasive materials.
 Zirconia (Zirconium Oxide): Employed in dental crowns and thermal barrier coatings

Ceramics are use in the automative industry in components such as spark plugs,brake discks and catalytic
converters

Used in aerospace to make turbines

Used as insulators and capacitors in electronics

b). Describe and explain the two distinct level of classification of composite materials.

Composite materials are engineered by combining two different materials to create a new material with
properties superior to those of the individual components

Composites are classifies based on the Matrix material and the Reinforced geometry.

Based on Matrix material:

This category includes

Polymer based Matrix composites,Metal matrix composites ,Ceramic matrix composites

Based on reinforced geometry:

This classification depends on the shape , size and arrangement of the reinforcement within the
matrix.the primary categories include :

Particle reinforced composites- these composites use small particles disperse within the matrix material

Fiber reinforced composites-contain fibers embedded in the matrix

Laminar composites- these consist of layers of different materials bonded together.

Q. 3
a) Differentiate between thermoplastic polymers and thermosetting polymers. Give minimum two
examples of each type.

Thermoplastic is a resin that is solid at room temperature but becomes plastic and soft upon heating
whilst a thermoset is a liquid resin at room temperature, it hardens when heated or due to addition
of chemicals

Thermoplastics have the ability to undergo reheating , melting again and change shape without
posing risk to the material properties whilst Thermosets cant be melted back or restored to their
original properties

Thermoplastics have a lower melting point as compared to thermosets


Thermoplastics undergo addition polymerisation whilst Thermosets undergo condensation
polymerisation

Thermoplastics are flexible and elastic whilst Thermosets are brittle ,inelastic and rigid and strong

Thermoplastics dissolve in organic solvents whilst thermosets do not dissolve

Examples:

Thermoplastics:Nylon , polyproplylene,polycarbide

Thermosets: Polyester ,epoxy resin ,silicon

b) Describe the following materials by giving its properties and where it is best used.

Liquid crystal polymer:

Properties:

High thermal stability-can withstand high temperatures

Chemical resistance-resistant to most chemical including acids

High mechanical strength-Durable and reliable

Best used in:

Electronics-ideal for flexible circuits

Automotive and Aerospace-used in parts that require high strength and thermal stability

Medical devices-due to their chemical resistance and biocompatibility

ii. Glass fiber:

properties:

high tensile strength

lightweight

corrosion resistant

electrical insulator

thermal Resistant

best used in:

construction-used in reinforced concrete

automotive-used in body panels,frames

aerospace-ideal for aircraft parts due to high strength to weight ratio


sporting equipment

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