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There are thousands of
materials available for use in engineering applications.
Most materials fall into one of four classes that are based
on the atomic bonding forces of a particular material. These
four classifications are metallic, ceramic, semiconductor,
and polymeric. Additionally, different materials can be
combined to create a composite, biomaterials, hybrid,
nano, inorganic, material. Within each of these
classifications, materials are often further organized into
groups based on their chemical composition or certain
physical or mechanical properties. Composite materials are
often grouped by the types of materials combined or the way
the materials are arranged together. Below is a list of some
of the commonly classification of materials within these
four general groups of materials.
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Metals
- Ferrous metals and alloys
(irons, carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless
steels, tool and die steels)
- Nonferrous metals and alloys
(aluminum, copper, magnesium, nickel, titanium,
precious metals, refractory metals, superalloys)
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Polymeric
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Thermoplastics plastics
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Thermoset plastics
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Elastomers
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Ceramics
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Glasses
- Glass ceramics
- Graphite
- Diamond
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Semicondcutors
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Tetrahedrally Bonded
- Spinel
- Superlattices
- chalcopyrites
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