Raw material to final product

Mass

Relates to the amount of matter that is contained within a specific material.

Weight

Relies on mass and gravitational forces to provide measurable value.

Volume

Is the quantity of three-dimensional space enclosed by some closed boundary, for example, the space that a substance solid, liquid, gas, or shape occupies or contains.

Density

Is the mass per unit volume of a material. Its importance is in portability in terms of a product’s weight and size.

Electrical Resistivity

This is a measure of a material’s ability to conduct electricity.

Thermal Conductivity

A measure of how fast heat is conducted through a slab of material with a given temperature difference across the slab.

Thermal Expansion (expansivity)

A measure of the degree of increase in dimensions when an object is heated.

Hardness

The resistance a material offers to penetration or scratching.

Tensile Strength

The ability of a material to withstand pulling forces.

Compressive strength

is the capacity of a material or structure to withstand loads tending to reduce size.

Stiffness

The resistance of an elastic body to deflection by an applied force.

Toughness

The ability of a material to resist the propagation of cracks. It is good for resisting the high impact of other objects, e.g., a hammer.

Ductility

The ability of a material to be drawn or extruded into a wire or other extended shape.

Malleability

The ability for materials to be shaped easily.

Young's Modulus

is a measure of the stiffness of an elastic material and is a quantity used to characterize materials.

Elastic Region

The straight-line region from point A to the yield point where the material can regain its original shape after the removal of the load.

Yield Point (Point B)

The point beyond which the material will not return to its original shape.

Plastic Region

The region beyond the yield point where the material undergoes permanent deformation.

Ultimate Stress or Fracture Point

The point at which the material ultimately fails and breaks apart.

Taste

The ability to detect the flavour of substances such as food and poisons.

Smell

The ability of humans and other animals to perceive odors.

Appearance

Related to how something looks.

Texture

The properties held and sensations caused by the external surface of objects received through the sense of touch.

Colour

Is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories of colours.

Smart materials

have one or more properties that can be dramatically altered, for example, viscosity, volume, conductivity. T

Piezoelectricity

is a term that is derived from the Greek meaning for piezo, squeeze or pressure where electricity is generated when piezoelectric material is deformed. The pressure acting upon the material it gives off a small electrical discharge.

Shape memory alloy (SMA's)

Metals that exhibit pseudo-elasticity and shape memory effect due to rearrangement of the molecules in the material.

Photochromicity

Material that can be described as having a reversible change of colour when exposed to light.

Magneto-rheostatic Electro-rheostatic

 are fluids that can undergo dramatic changes in their viscosity.

Thermoelectricity

electricity produced directly from heat.