PAU Technology & Engineering II (Cantabria) cheat sheet
PAU Technology & Engineering II (Cantabria) · Keep the key ideas within reach.
Materials and their properties - selection quick reference
Metals: high E and σ_y, good conductivity, ductile; ceramics: hard, brittle, insulating, high melting point; polymers: low density, low E, insulating, easy to form.
Composites combine fibre strength with matrix toughness; properties are anisotropic, strongest along the fibre direction.
Corrosion protection: galvanising (sacrificial zinc), anodising (oxide layer), painting, cathodic protection.
Fatigue failure occurs below the static yield stress after many cycles; a fatigue limit exists for steels but not for aluminium.
Creep is time-dependent deformation at high temperature and constant load; relevant for polymers and hot metals.
Thermal conductivity: metals high, polymers and ceramics low; used for heat sinks and insulators respectively.
Recycling: metals are highly recyclable, thermoplastics can be remelted, thermosets cannot.
Cost and availability often decide between two materials that both meet the mechanical requirement.