Material Properties

The material property is the property of a material that does not change or depends on the amount and size of the material. These properties can be used in comparing one material to another. A property of any material may be constant or may be due to one or more variables. Material property defines the material. The behaviour and structure of a material can be defined by the physical and mechanical properties of the material. It simplifies the use of that material if its properties are known. But sometimes, the material does not behave as it was designed, so we can use its properties to find out the substance.

Types of material properties 

There are ten types of material properties:

Acoustical properties

Acoustical properties are those which state how the material is responding to the sound waves. For example, when the disturbance is caused in water, it moves significantly, its waves travel along the surface. Acoustical properties are used in the construction and designing of many buildings. This can help impact the health and productivity of the people living in those buildings. 

Many areas are made soundproof. The material used in the soundproofing can be tested by seeing its acoustical properties.

Chemical properties

The properties can be seen after or before the reaction of that material. These properties are pH, reactivity, surface tension, surface energy, corrosion resistance, etc. Many materials react with oxygen when left in the air, which leads to corrosion. By knowing the chemical properties, we can use and place the materials according to their safety. Chemical reactions are carried out by knowing the chemical properties of substances.

Atomic properties 

These properties are atomic mass, atomic number, atomic weight. The atomic mass is the average mass of an element. Each element has its own mass. The atomic number is the number of protons present in the chemical element. Atomic weight or relative atomic mass is the physical quantity.

Magnetic properties

The magnetic property of any material is the response of that material in a magnetic field. Material is divided into four types according to its attraction towards magnets. Paramagnetic materials are those who are weakly attracted by the magnetic field. Ferromagnetic materials are strongly attracted by magnets. Antiferromagnetic materials are non-attracted to the magnetic field. Ferrimagnetic materials are those that have a small net magnetic moment.

Electrical properties 

These properties show the response of the material in the electrical field. These properties are electrical resistance and conductivity, capacitance, dielectric constant, dielectric strength, etc.  

Mechanical properties 

These properties are brittleness: the ability of a material to break under stress. Compressive strength: The maximum amount of stress the material can endure. Creep: Deformation of an object with time. Ductility: The property by which a material can transform into different shoes without breaking. Flexibility: The material’s ability to bend when force is applied. Elasticity: Ability of an object to deform when force is applied and get back to its original shape when force is declined. Other properties are hardness, plasticity, friction, toughness, viscosity, etc.

Thermal properties

These properties are the ability of the material to conduct and resist heat. It shows whether the material is a good conductor of heat or whether it resists heat. Materials can be used in making heat resistance products by knowing the property of the material. These properties are boiling point, flash point, thermal conductivity, the heat of evaporation, melting point, vapour pressure, etc. 

Radiological properties

These properties show the property of the material containing unstable radioactive atoms. The material that contains unstable radioactive atoms, emits radiation and is called radioactive material. These materials can be solid, liquid, or gas. These properties are half-life of material, specific activity, and neutron cross-section.

Optical properties

A material’s interaction with light is stated by its optical properties. Optical properties are the absorbance of light, colour, reflectivity, scattering of light, the transmission of light, luminosity, photosensitivity, electro-optic effect, the photoelasticity of material, etc. These properties are very useful. Mainly it is used in the printing of paper.

Manufacturing properties

The property tells about the material’s ability to manufacture different things. These properties are castability, machining speed, rating of machinability, etc. Castability of any material is how easy that material is cast into things. It includes casting tools, material costs, tools cost, etc. 

Conclusion

Material properties are the various properties that show a material response to many things such as heat, magnet, electricity, sound, etc. These properties are helpful to know about the material and how and where to use that material according to its property. There are 10 types of material properties. In the environment, everything is made up of any material. Material can be best used when its properties are known.