Ceramics, Polymers, and Nanotechnology Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on ceramics, polymers, and nanotechnology.

What are ceramics?

Nonmetallic and inorganic solid materials formed by shaping and firing a mixture until it hardens.

What types of chemical bonds can be found in ceramics?

Ionic, covalent, and polar covalent bonds.

What is a key difference between traditional and advanced ceramics?

Traditional ceramics include pottery and artwork made from clay and mixed with other raw materials, while advanced ceramics emerged from refined laboratory techniques and experimentation with pure forms of elements and compounds.

What are the three general categories of advanced ceramics?

Oxides, non-oxides, and ceramic-based composites.

What are some common examples of oxide ceramics?

Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and zirconia (ZrO2).

What is a key characteristic of non-oxide ceramics?

Extreme hardness; they also conduct heat and electricity.

What is the sol-gel process?

A manufacturing process for modern ceramics involving grinding purified materials, adding water and binders, pressing or casting, and sintering or firing.

Give examples of how ceramics are used in the automotive industry.

Spark plugs, vibration sensors, anti-theft sensors, and rear sonar systems.

What are polymers?

Large molecules formed by the linkage of many lower-mass units called monomers.

What is the difference between a polymer and a copolymer?

A polymer is made of identical monomers, while a copolymer is built from two or more different monomers.

How do addition polymers form?

When monomers containing a double bond open up half of their double bond to create a new single bond to link them into chains.

What happens during vulcanization?

Natural rubber is heated with sulfur, forming cross-links between adjacent polyisopropene molecules, making the rubber all-weather.

How are condensation polymers formed?

By condensation reactions, where two molecules combine, releasing a smaller molecule (usually water).

What are plastics?

Polymers that can be formed into different shapes, normally when heated or pressurized.

What is the difference between thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers?

Thermoplastics can be heated and reshaped, while thermosetting polymers are created by irreversible chemical reactions that make them difficult to melt and reshape.

Why is recycling plastics important?

Most plastics are not biodegradable and contribute to the trash problem; recycling reduces landfill waste.

What is nanotechnology?

The manipulation of atoms or small molecules, one at a time, to construct useful objects.

What are fullerenes?

Carbon molecules arranged in the form of a closed, hollow sphere (buckyballs), cylinder (carbon nanotubes), or the like.

What are carbon nanotubes?

Nanoscopic threads made of pure carbon allotropes arranged into a hollow structure.

Give examples of potential benefits of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes.

Highly efficient batteries, faster computer processors, targeted medical treatments, and lighter yet stronger materials.

What are biopolymers?

New polymers engineered to break down under natural processes in a relatively short period of time.

Name three common biopolymers?

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polylactide (PLA), and thermoplastic starch (TPS).

What are some potential risks associated with nanotechnology?

Nanoparticles can enter the body and disrupt cellular processes; carbon nanotubes can be toxic if inhaled in free forms.