High school Design & Technology students often have to know about modern materials and their common uses. This article introduces this material and concludes with sample examination questions.
What are ‘modern’ materials?
Modern materials are those that are man-made or engineered to have improved properties compared to traditional materials like wood, stone, and basic metals. These materials are typically designed at the molecular or atomic level and manufactured using new processes.
EXAMPLES OF MODERN MATERIALS
Nanomaterials
Properties
Uses
Manufactured at a very tiny scale (between 1 – 100 nanometres – one nanometre is about 100,000x smaller than the width of a human hair – nano means ‘one-billionth)
Main types are nanoparticles, nanotubes / nanowires, thin films (2D sheets), or nanocomposites (composite materials containing nanoscale components)
Can be very strong with unique properties, such as altered magnetic behaviour
Oleophobic coatings (oil-repelling surface treatments) which can contain fluorinated compounds or silicones – used on smartphone screens and anti-fingerprint surfaces
Hydrophobic materials repel water due to low surface energy, causing water to bead up and roll off rather than spreading, such as Teflon non-stick cookware, silicones
.
Metal foams
Properties
Uses
Produced by introducing gas-filled pores into metal (like tiny air bubbles)
Sponge-like structure
Very lightweight yet rigid and good strength-to-weight ratio
Good thermal and sound insulation
Aluminium most common
Crash protection zones in cars (crushes bit by bit)
Sound dampening in buildings
Military blast protection
Super alloys
Properties
Uses
High-performance metal alloys
Maintain strength at high materials
Don’t deform easily
Corrosion resistant
Expensive to make – engineered at microscopic level (often 5-10 different metals in complex combinations)
Components in jet engines (operate at very high temperatures)
Power plants
Nuclear reactors
Chemical processing equipment
An alloy is a mixture of two or more elements, including at least one of metal. Many are mixtures of 2 or more metals. See more here.
Bioplastics
Properties
Uses
May be starch-based, sugar-based, or cellulose-based (
Amiria has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. She is a CIE Accredited Art & Design and Design & Technology Coursework Assessor. Amiria now teaches Art, Design & Technology at ACG Parnell College.