4 Engineering Materials - Applications
4 Engineering Materials - Applications
4 Engineering Materials - Applications
• Non metals
• Ferrous metals
Ferrous metals (wrought iron, steel and cast iron)
Wrought Iron
• Has very low strength and hardness.
• Very ductile and resistant to corrosion.
• Carbon = 0.020%, Silicon = 0.120%, Sulphur = 0.018%,
Phosphorus = 0.020%, Slag = 0.070%,
and the remaining is iron.(99.5%)
Steel
Low
carbon
Medium
carbon
High
carbon
Cast Iron
• Contains about 2% to 6% C and small amount of Si. Other
alloying elements are also used.
• There are types of cast iron as gray, white, malleable, ductile
and special alloy
Properties:
Lower melting point
Low shrinkage and good fluidity and casting ability.
Application:-
• Car parts – cylinder heads, blocks and gearbox cases
• Because of its high damping capacity and compressive strength, it is used
for frames of large equipment and machinery.
• Because of its good resistance to wear, it is used for engine blocks, piston
rings, brake drums, rolls and crushers
Microstructure behavior of steel and Cast iron
In gray cast iron, C precipitate out as In ductile cast iron, the dissolved C
small carbon flakes precipitates as small round nodules
Low Carbon Steel
Application:
• Used as tool and die steels owing to the high hardness and
wear resistance property
Alloy steel
Aluminum alloys
Corrosion resistance
Easy to fabrication
High thermal conductivity
Effects of Alloying Elements on Steel
• Aluminum is strong,
• lightweight,
• electrically- and thermally-conductive, and
• corrosion resistant
• Low density
• Corrosion resistant
• High melting temperature
• High strength
Such materials are so diverse that only a few can be listed hereto give
a basic introduction to some typical applications.
Wood:
This is naturally occurring fibrous composite
material used for the manufacture of casting patterns.
Rubber :
This is used for hydraulic and compressed air hoses and oil seals.
Naturally occurring latex is too soft for most engineering uses but it is
used widely for vehicle tyres when it is compounded with carbon
black.
Glass :
This is a hardwearing, abrasion-resistant material with excellent
weathering properties. It is used for electrical insulators, laboratory
equipment, optical components in measuring instruments, in the form of
fibers, is used to reinforce plastics. It is made by melting together the
naturally occurring materials : silica (sand), limestone (calcium carbonate )
and soda (sodium carbonate).
Emery :
This is a widely used abrasive and is a naturally occurring aluminum
oxide. Nowadays it is produced synthetically to maintain uniform
quality and performance
Ceramic:
These are produced by baking naturally occurring clays at high
temperatures after moulding to shape. They are used for high –
voltage insulators and high – temperature – resistant cutting tool tips.
• Advanced Ceramics: Automobile Engine parts
Advantages:
Operate at high temperatures – high efficiencies; Low frictional losses;
Operate without a cooling system; Lower weights than current engines
Disadvantages:
Ceramic materials are brittle; Difficult to remove internal voids (that
weaken structures); Ceramic parts are difficult to form and machine
Potential materials: Si3N4 (engine valves, ball bearings), SiC (MESFETS),
& ZrO2 (sensors),
Possible engine parts: engine block & piston coatings
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