The design and analysis of aerospace and industrial composite components and assemblies requires a detailed knowledge of materials properties, which, in turn, depend on the manufacturing, machining, and assembly methods used. This article, through several tables and graphs, provides the mechanical properties, physical properties, and service characteristics of representative composite fiber-resin combinations, including thermoplastic matrix composites such as thermoplastic polyester resins, thermoplastic polyamide resins, and thermoplastic polysulfone resins, and thermoset matrix composites such as thermoset polyester resins, thermoset phenolic resins, thermoset epoxy resins, thermoset polyimide resins, and thermoset bismaleimide resins.

This article discusses the composition of major components of dental composite resins. The components include organic resin matrix, filler, coupling agents, and initiator-accelerator systems. The article provides a description of three steps in adhesive systems, namely, etching, priming, and the placement of a resin adhesive layer. It describes the properties of composite resins that are related to the amount and type of filler and resin-matrix compositions. The article also provides a discussion on the compositions, properties, and clinical applications of polyacid-modified composite resins and resin-modified glass-ionomer cements. It discusses the biodegradation and biocompatibility of resin-based restorative materials.

This article discusses the types of patterns used for a specific application such as loose patterns, match plate patterns, cope and drag patterns, and special patterns. It describes the principles of the patternmaking techniques used to make expendable molds and for metal casting processes such as die casting and permanent mold casting. The article reviews the pattern features and mold production considerations used in pattern design, namely, parting line considerations, addition of gates and risers, core prints, and locating points. It discusses the pattern allowances for ensuring a dimensionally correct final pattern. A wide variety of materials and advanced composite materials used in the manufacture of patterns are discussed. The article reviews the factors influencing the selection of type of patterns for specific castings.

This article is a comprehensive collection of engineering tables providing information on the mechanical properties of and the techniques for processing and characterizing polymeric materials, such as thermosets, thermoset-matrix unidirectional advanced composites, and unreinforced and carbon-and glass-reinforced engineering thermoplastics. Values are also provided for chemical resistance ratings for selected plastics and metals, and hardness of selected elastomers.

The selection of engineered materials is an integrated process that requires an understanding of the interaction between materials properties, manufacturing characteristics, design considerations, and the total life cycle of the product. This article classifies various engineered materials, including ferrous alloys, nonferrous alloys, ceramics, cermets and cemented carbides, engineering plastics, polymer-matrix composites, metal-matrix composites, ceramic-matrix and carbon-carbon composites, and reviews their general property characteristics and applications. It describes the synergy between the elements of the materials selection process and presents a general comparison of material properties. Finally, the article provides a short note on computer aided materials selection systems, which help in proper archiving of materials selection decisions for future reference.

The biocompatibility of a material relates to its immunological response, toxicity profile, and ability to integrate with surrounding tissue without undesirable local or systemic effects on a patient. This article underscores the transformation of the medical device design ecosystem engaged as an integral part of the device ecosystem. It discusses the various applications of biomaterials, including orthopedic, cardiovascular, ophthalmic, and dental applications. The article describes the four major categories of biomaterials, such as metals, polymers, glass and ceramics, and composites. A discussion on natural materials, nanomaterials, and stem cells is also provided. The article concludes with information on examples of biomaterials applications, including endovascular devices, knee implants, and neurostimulation.

This article reviews high-temperature corrosion of furnace parts used in heat-treating furnaces. It provides a comparison of cast and wrought materials in the context of their general considerations, advantages, and applications. The article provides information on the heat-resistant alloys used for parts that go through the furnaces, including trays, fixtures, conveyor chains and belts, and quenching fixtures and parts, and the parts that remain in the furnace such as combustion tubes, radiant tubes, burners, thermowells, roller and skid rails, baskets, pots, retorts, muffles, and drive and idler drums. The article also reviews the material characteristics of silicon/silicon carbide composite and reaction-bonded silicon carbide as used in radiant tubes.

Selecting the proper cutting tool material for a specific machining application can provide substantial advantages, including increased productivity, improved quality, and reduced costs. This article begins with a description of the factors affecting the selection of a cutting tool material. This is followed by a schematic representation of their relative application ranges in terms of machining speeds and feed rates. The article provides a detailed account of chemical compositions of various tool materials, including high-speed tool steels, cobalt-base alloys, cemented carbides, cermets, ceramics, cubic boron nitride, and polycrystalline diamond. It compares the toughness, and wear resistance for these cutting tool materials. Finally, the article explains the steps for selecting tool material grades for specific application.

Premanent magnet refers to solid materials that have sufficiently high resistance to demagnetizing fields and sufficiently high magnetic flux output to provide useful and stable magnetic fields. Permanent magnet materials include a variety of alloys, intermetallics, and ceramics. This article discusses the composition, properties, and applications of permanent magnetic materials, such as hysteresis alloys used in motors. It primarily focuses on the stability of magnetic fields that influences reversible and irreversible losses in magnetization with time, and the choice of magnet material, component shape and magnetic circuit arrangement.

This article describes the vapor-phase growth techniques applied to the epitaxial deposition of semiconductor films and discusses the fundamental processes involved in metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It reviews the thermodynamics that determine the driving force behind the overall growth process and the kinetics that define the rates at which the various processes occur. The article provides information on the reactor systems and hardware, MOCVD starting materials, engineering considerations that optimize growth, and the growth parameters for a variety of Group III-V, II-VI, and IV semiconductors.

Superconductors are materials that exhibit a complete disappearance of electrical resistivity on lowering the temperature below the critical temperature. A superconducting material must exhibit perfect diamagnetism, that is, the complete exclusion of an applied magnetic field from the bulk of the superconductor. Superconducting materials that have received the most attention are niobium-titanium superconductors (the most widely used superconductor), A15 compounds (in which class the important ordered intermetallic Nb3Sn lies), ternary molybdenum chalcogenides (Chevrel phases), and high-temperature ceramic superconductors. This article provides an overview of basic principles of superconductors and the different classes of superconducting materials and their general characteristics.

This article discusses the mechanisms of metal and alloy biocompatibility. It provides information on early testing and experience with metals in medical device applications. The article describes the response to severe corrosion of implant and particulate materials. It provides a description of metal binding and its effects on metabolic processes. The hypersensitive responses to metal ions are also reviewed. The article concludes with a discussion on possible cancer-causing effects of metallic biomaterials.

This article presents the principles of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with illustrations. It discusses the types of CVD processes, namely, thermal CVD, plasma CVD, laser CVD, closed-reactor CVD, chemical vapor infiltration, and metal-organic CVD. The article reviews the CVD reactions of materials related to hard, tribological, and high-temperature coatings and to free-standing structures. It concludes by reviewing the advantages, disadvantages, and applications of CVD.

This article provides an overview of the characteristics of Rayleigh waves plus methods for generation and detection of waves, including using piezoelectric transducers or noncontact techniques such as lasers, electromagnetic acoustic transducers, or air-coupled ultrasonics. It reviews the methods for using Rayleigh waves for defect detection and materials characterization, alongside nonlinear ultrasonic inspection and surface acoustic wave (SAW) microscopy. The article concludes with information on the standards that use Rayleigh waves for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of different structures.

Porous coatings are used in the field of joint replacement, particularly in cementless total hip/knee arthroplasty. This article reviews the offerings and biomaterial properties in orthopedic surgery for the contemporary class of highly porous metals. It describes the traditional porous metal/coating having an open-cell structure, high porosity, and a microsctructure resembling that of cancellous bone. The traditional porous metal/coating includes fiber-metal mesh, cobalt-chromium (CoCr) beads, cancellous-structured titanium, and plasma spray. The article discusses other porous metal/coating due to the limitations of traditional porous metals for numerous open-cell-structured metals, such as titanium-base foams and trabecular metal.

Ceramic materials serve important insulative, capacitive, conductive, resistive, sensor, electrooptic, and magnetic functions in a wide variety of electrical and electronic circuitry. This article focuses on various applications of advanced ceramics in both electric power and electronics industry, namely, dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, sensing, magnetic and superconducting devices.

Structural applications for advanced ceramics include mineral processing equipment, machine tools, wear components, heat exchangers, automotive products, aerospace components, and medical products. This article begins with an overview of the wear-resistant applications and the parameters affecting wear of ceramics, namely, hardness, thermal conductivity, fracture toughness, and corrosion resistance. The next part of the article addresses temperature-resistant applications of advanced ceramics. Specific applications of ceramic materials addressed include cutting tools, pump and valve components, rolling elements and bearings, paper and wire manufacturing, biomedical implants, heat exchangers, adiabatic diesel engines, advanced gas turbines, and aerospace applications.

The design process for ceramic materials is more complex than that of metals because of low-strain tolerance, low fracture toughness and brittleness. The application of structural ceramics to engineering systems hinges on the functional benefits to be derived and is manifested in the conceptual design for acceptable reliability. This article discusses the design considerations for the use of structural ceramics for engineering applications. It describes the conceptual design and deals with fast fracture reliability, lifetime reliability, joints, attachments, interfaces, and thermal shock in detailed design procedure. The article provides information on the proof testing of ceramics, and presents a short note on public domain software that helps determine the reliability of a loaded ceramic component. The article concludes with several design scenarios for gas turbine components, turbine wheels, ceramic valves, and sliding parts.