TAKUDZWA MUKAVHI

I.M.E

H150169C

Engineering Design Principles 1

Assignment 1: Engineering materials

Question.

Describe the following and outline any types within each group and give examples of their
application;

a) Ferrous materials
b) Non-ferrous materials
c) Plastic materials

Answers

a) Ferrous materials
Ferrous materials are materials which contain iron ions (Fe 2+ ions), hence having
the oxidation state as +2.
They also contain great amounts of carbon thus making them vulnerable to
corrosion through rust.
Ferrous materials have magnetic properties hence making the suitable for electrical
and motor applications.
Properties : high tensile stress
They can be recycled

ferrous material Application/ use

Mild steel engineering purposes
Carbon steel Making cutting tools e.g. drill bits
Stainless steel cutlery and surgical instruments
Cast iron Manufacturing of engine blocks and manhole
covers
Wrought iron making ornamental gates and fencing

b) Nonferrous materials
Metals or alloys that have no or very small amounts.
Can be recycled and refined through electrolysis.
They are a more expensive than ferrous materials due to their properties; non-
conductivity, corrosion resistance, light weight and nonmagnetic.
non-ferrous material Application/ use
Aluminum Used in aircraft manufacture ,window frames
and some kitchen ware

Copper Used for wiring, tubing and pipework

Brass For ornamental purposes and within electrical
fittings

Silver Used for decorative impact in jewelry and

ornaments and also to solder different metals
together

Lead Used in roofing in batteries and to make pipes

Zinc Making alloys i.e. brass, paint manufacturing
Nickel Making stainless steel
Mercury Making thermometers

c) Plastic materials
Plastic is a material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic
organic compounds that are malleable and can be molded into solid objects.
Most plastics are made from synthetic resins (polymers) through the industrial process
of polymerization. Two main types of plastics are thermoplastics and thermosets.
A thermoplastic, or thermosoftening plastic, is a plastic material, polymer, that
becomes pliable or moldable above a specific temperature and solidifies upon cooling
A thermosetting resin is a prepolymer in a soft solid or viscous state that changes
irreversibly into an infusible, insoluble polymer network by curing
They are mainly organic polymers of high molecular mass.
Are mostly derived from petrol chemicals.
Most of them can deform irreversibly without breaking

Plastic material application

Polyethylene terephthalate Common household; fizzy drink bottles, pre-
prepared food trays, mouthwash bottles
High density polyethylene Detergent bottles, toys ,milk bottles
 Polyvinyl chloride Credit cards, synthetic leather products, pipes and
fittings, wire and cable sheathing, window frames
Low density polyethylene Films, fertilizer bags, packaging films, flexible
bottles, irrigation pipes
Polypropylene Most bottle tops, ketchup and syrup bottles
,crates, plant pots
Polystyrene Yoghurt containers, egg boxes, fast food trays,
coat hangers

REFERENCES
Corzine, A.J. and Eberhart, G.E., Olin Corporation, 1992. Hunting bullet with reduced
environmental lead exposure. U.S. Patent 5,127,332.
NON-FERROUS, T.O., 1946. SYMPOSIUM ON ATMOSPHERIC EXPOSURE TESTS ON
NON-FERROUS METALS
Perzyna, P., 1963. The constitutive equations for rate sensitive plastic materials. Quarterly of
applied mathematics, pp.321-332.