Topic

Natural
Materials and
Manufactured
or Man-made
Materials

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Bytheendofthistopic,youshouldbeableto:
1. Definematerial;
2. Describeeachtypeofmaterials;
3. Explainthepropertiesofmaterials;
4. Statetheimportanceofmaterials;
5. Comparenaturalmaterialsandmanufacturedmaterials;
6. Describehowtopreserveournaturalmaterials;
7. Describecompositematerials;and
8. Discuss the materials in industry in the context of soap, natural and
syntheticrubber,naturalandsyntheticfibreandplastics.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 71

X INTRODUCTION
Materialsarethethingsthatyoucanobserveallaroundyou.Fromfallingrain
to plants and human beings, from window curtains to floor mats and from
computers to printing materials, these are all materials. The air that you
breatheinandoutisalsoamaterial.

Materialsareveryusefultohumanbeingsfortheirsurvival.Theynotonlyuse
naturalmaterialsbutalsocreatenewmaterialsinordertofulfiltheirneeds.

8.1

DEFINITION, PROPERTIES AND

IMPORTANCE OF MATERIALS

Acloudisseenasabulkofmovingobjectintheair.Whenitisveryheavy,it
starts to drop tiny droplets of water. When the sun shines on the water
droplets,itturnstovapour.Haveyoueverthoughtoftheprocessesthatoccur
inthisevent?

Thiseventisjustoneinathousandofeventsthatinvolvematerials.Materials
arethethingsallaroundyou.Materialshavemassandoccupyspace.Gases,
woods,plastics,foods,animalsandwaterareallexamplesofmaterials.

According to the ancient Greek, there should be four things to make up a

substance.Thesefourthingsareearth,fire,airandwater.TheGreeksbelieved
that these four things mix together in different amounts to make different
materials.

8.1.1 Definition of Materials

Whatismaterial?Materialisdefinedasfollows.
Material is made up of thousands of small particles, not visible to the
nakedeye,calledatoms.Thecompositionofatomsinthematerialmakesit
differentfromoneanother.

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Based on these compositions of atom, material can be divided into three

categories:element,compoundandmixture.
(i)

Element
An element is the simplest substance of a material. It cannot be broken
down or separated by chemical or physical methods into any simpler
components. An element is made up of only one type of atom. Some
elements have atoms of the same types, which are combined to form
molecules.Thereare112typesofelements,inwhich92oftheseelements
occurnaturallyintheearthand20arecreatedbyscientists.

Elements can be grouped into metals and nonmetals. Gold, zinc, iron,
aluminium, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen are examples of
elements.

Figure 8.1 shows the atom of an element with its nucleus at the centre
andelectronsmovingaroundthenucleus.

Figure8.1:Theatomofanelement

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 73

(b) CombinedElements

Therearetwotypesofcombinedelementscompoundsandmixtures.

(i) Compound

Twoormoreelementscanbecombinedtogetherchemicallytoform
a new material called a compound. A molecule is the smallest
particle in a compound. Water is an example of a compound. A
water molecule is made up of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen
atoms,whicharecombinedchemically(seeFigure8.2).

Oxygen atom

Hydrogen
atoms

Figure8.2:Watermolecule

ACTIVITY 8.1
Lookoutsideyourlaboratory.Identifytheobjectsandlistdownthe
objects. They are made of different types of materials. Most of the
materialsaremadefromacombinationofelements.Somearemade
ofonlyonetypeofelement.Canyouguesswhichobjectsaremade
ofonlyoneelement?Canyounametheelementineachcase?Write
downyourfindings.
Table8.1showsseveraltypesofcompoundsanditselements.

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74 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Table8.1:SeveralTypesofCompounds
Compound

Elements

Carbon dioxide

One carbon atom, two oxygen atoms

Sodium chloride

One sodium atom, one chloride atom

Benzene

Six carbon atoms, six hydrogen atoms

Ammonia

One nitrogen atom, three hydrogen atom

Water

One oxygen atom, two hydrogen atoms

The components of a compound cannot be separated by physical methods

such as crushing or by magnetic force. Components of a compound can be
separated by chemical methods. For example, pure water can be broken
down into its elements that are oxygen and hydrogen by using electrolysis.
Compounds can be prepared by a chemical reaction. Heat energy is released
or absorbed when a compound is formed. This will form a new substance
that is different from its early substances. The characteristics of a
combination of elements which are combined by specific ratios are different
from each of the origin element.

ACTIVITY 8.2
ACTIVITY 8.2
Have you ever burnt a magnesium ribbon? Magnesium and
oxygencanbecombinedtomakeacompound.Holdasmallpiece
of magnesium ribbon by using a tong and move it slowly into a
flame.Observe theappearanceofmagnesium and oxygenbefore
andafteritwasburnt.Identifytheendproductoftheexperiment.

(ii) Mixtures

Materialthatismadeupofacombinationoftwoormoresubstances
thatarecombinedphysicallyiscalledamixture.Thismeansthatthe
mixture can be separated by physical methods such as filtration,
evaporation, distillation, chromatography, extraction, precipitation,
magnetic forces, sieving and heating or evaporation processes. By
theseseparationmethods,thechemicalstructureofthecomponentis
notchangedbecausethesubstanceinamixturedoesnotunite.

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Therearetwotypesofmixturehomogenousandheterogeneous.A
homogenous mixture is formed when its substances are mixed
evenlyandtheidentityofeachsubstancecannotbeidentifiedeasily.
A heterogeneous mixture is formed when its substance can be
identified easily. When sugar is put in a glass of hot drink, it
becomes a homogenous mixture. A mixture of sulphur with iron
fillings and air are examples of a heterogeneous mixture (see Table
8.2).

Table8.2:SeveralTypesofMixtures
Mixture

Components

Air

Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, inert

gases,microorganismsandwatervapour

Soil

Water,clay,loam,sand,humus,gravel

Seawater

Sodium chloride, water, magnesium, plumbum,

oxygen

Chocolate
cake

Flour,water,oil,egg,chocolatepowder

Blood

Blood cells, hormones, minerals, water, plasma,

oxygen

During the formation of a mixture, heat energy is not absorbed or

released.Thereisalsonocombinationofelementsinaspecificratio
andeachcomponentretainsitsoriginalproperty.Thecomponentsof
amixturecanbeeasilyidentified.

SELF-CHECK 8.1
1. Whatisamaterial?
2. Nameafewexamplesofmaterials.

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ACTIVITY 8.3
Do you know how to separate gases in the air? What are the
proceduresthatshouldbetakentoturnitintoliquid?Discusswith
yourcoursemates.

(c) Making New Materials

Some materials around us are natural while others are man-made. Wool from
sheep and wood from trees are natural materials. All these materials are made
from elements.
Scientists sometimes combine elements in new ways. This is a way to make
useful man-made materials. Synthetic materials are an example of man-made
materials.
SELF-CHECK 8.2
Statethetypesofcombiningelements.

8.1.2 Properties of Materials

Whatarethephysicalpropertiesofmaterials?Matteristhegeneralwordfor
all materials. Therefore, specific matter such as wood, stone and paper are
called material. We know that materials can be divided into two types
natural materials and synthetic materials. Natural materials are made from
organicmateriallikepaperorinorganicmateriallikesandandlava.Humans
cannot create natural materials. However, scientists have managed to make
syntheticmaterials.Plasticsandceramicsaretwotypesofsyntheticmaterials.

Each material has its unique physical properties, which means different
materialshavedifferentproperties.Someoftheimportantphysicalproperties
of materials are elasticity, shine, buoyancy, water absorbency, electrical
conductivity, heat conductivity and magnetism. Other physical properties of
materials are hardness, toughness and brittleness, strength, flexibility,
solubilityandwaterproof.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 77

Scientists distinguish material properties according to their interesting

contextualfactors.Amongthesepropertiesare:
(a)

Mechanicalpropertieslikeelasticity;

(b) Thermodynamicpropertieslikespecificheatcapacityandmeltingpoint;
(c)

Electromagnetic properties like specific magnetic susceptibility and

specificelectricconductivity;

(d) Chemicalpropertieslikethecapacityforoxidationorthesolubilityina
certainliquid;
(e) Biological or biochemical properties like LD50, antibiotic or anaesthetic
effect;
(f)

Ecological properties like ozone depletion potential, greenhouse effect

factor;and

(g) Mixed material properties (two or more interesting factors are

combined) like photochemical, thermoelectrical, thermoelectro
chemical.

Letusnowtakealookatthetypesofmaterialproperties.

(a)

Elasticity
Whatiselasticity?
Elasticityistheabilityofamaterialtoreturntoitsoriginalshapeand
sizeafterbeingbent,twisted,stretchedandsqueezed.

Materials that are able to return to their old shape when force is no
longer applied are called elastic materials. However, materials which
retaintheirnewshapeswhenforceisnolongerappliedarecalledplastic
materialsornonelasticmaterials.Somematerialssuchasrubberbands,
balloons and gloves are elastic materials but some materials such as
plastic, wood and belt are nonelastic materials. To determine whether
materials are elastic or nonelastic, you may need to carry out some
activity.

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78 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Scientists spend a lot of their time investigating the properties of

materialsmainlytofindouthowtheybehaveinavarietyofsituations.
The most important property is how a particular material responds to
forces. When an elastic material is pulled, it stretches and increases in
length.However,theincreaseinlengthwillstopwhenitreachesapoint
where the material no longer returns to its original shape. This pull is
alsoknownastheelasticlimitofthematerial.Ifthepullstillincreases,
thematerialmaybreakdown(pleaserefertoFigure8.3).

Figure8.3:Effectofforceonmaterials
(i)

ElasticChange
When enough force is applied to an object, it deforms. However,
when the force is removed, the material will often return to its
originalshape.

(ii)

PlasticChange
Whenalargerforceisapplied,amaterialmaycontinuetodeform.
However,whentheforceisremoved,itwillstayinthisnewshape.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 79

(iii) Break
If enough force is applied to a material, it will become brittle and
eventuallybreakorfracture.

Somematerialsthatexhibitelasticbehaviourare:

(i)

Rubber: Large deformation if warm, then fracture or small

deformationandfractureifcold;

(ii)

Metals:Smalldeformation,thenpermanentlydeform;

(iii)

Ceramics:Smalldeformation,thenfracture;

(iv)

Electronicmaterials:Smalldeformation,thenfractureordeform;

(v)

Glass:Smalldeformation,thenfracture.

(vi)

Humanskin:Largedeformations.

(vii)

Polymers:Temperaturedependent.

(viii)

Liquidsunderuniformhydrostaticpressure.

SELF-CHECK 8.3
1. Statetheimportanceofphysicalpropertiesofmaterials.
2. Giveanexampleofamaterialforeachphysicalproperty.

(b) Shiny

Whenitcomestomaterialproperties,whatdoesshinymean?
Some materials are shiny and some are not. Shiny materials can
reflectthelightsuchassometypesofmetalsandglasses.

Shineisimportantinmakingjewelleryandaccessories.Inrelationtothis
shinypropertyofmaterials,somematerialsallowlighttopassthrough
thembutsomedonot.Materialssuchasglassandplasticallowlightto
pass through them. On the other hand, materials such as wood and
metaldonotallowlighttopassthroughthem.Accordingtotheability
of materials to allow light to pass through them, materials can also be

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divided into three types. There are transparent materials, translucent

materials and opaque materials. Figure 8.4 shows objects made of
transparent,translucentandopaquematerials.

Figure8.4:Objectsmadeoftransparent,translucentandopaque
materials

Transparentmaterials
If the materials allow most of the light to pass through them, it is
known as transparent materials. Examples of this type are glass,
plain plastic, air, water, aquariums, some doors and walls of
buildings made from clear glass. We can clearly see objects behind
thesematerials.
Translucentmaterials
If the materials allow some of the light to pass through them, it is
known as translucent materials. Objects behind a translucent
material cannot be seen clearly. It will appear blurred. Examples of
these materials are tissue paper, wrapping plastic, some window
panes,bulbs,foodcontainersandsunglasses.

Opaquematerials
Opaquematerialsarematerialswhichcannotallowanylighttopass
through them. We cannot see anything behind opaque materials.
Metals, woods, rubber, bricks, roofs, walls, bags, hats and paper
boxesareexamplesofthesematerials.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 81

(c)

Buoyancy

How do we define buoyancy? Let us take a look at the following

definition.

Buoyancyistheabilityofmaterialstofloatinliquid.
Why do some things float? Dense objects sink and light objects float.
Therefore, buoyancy is also related to density. Density is mass per unit of
volume.

Floatingisrelatedtothevolumeofliquiddisplacedbyanobject.Theliquidis
pushedasidewhenanobjectisplacedinit.Therefore,ourbodydisplacesthe
water.When an object floats in water, onlyapartofitdisplacesthewater.
Theotherpartoftheobjectremainsabovethewater.Theobjectsfloataftera
definiteamountofwaterisdisplaced.AccordingtoArchimedes,theancient
Greekphysicist,whenthemassofthedisplacedliquidisequaltothemassof
the objects, the objects will float. Plastic, wood and rubber are examples of
floatingmaterials.Figure8.5showsfloatingmaterialsandliquidsofdifferent
densities.

Figure8.5:Floatingmaterialsandliquidsofdifferentdensities

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82 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

(d) WaterAbsorbency

Materialswhichcanabsorbwaterareknownasabsorbentmaterialsand
materials which cannot absorb water are known as nonabsorbent
materials.Thematerialsthatareabletoabsorbwaterbecomecompletely
wet.Examplesofabsorbentmaterialsarewood,paperandcottoncloth.
Raincoats, umbrellas, plastic and hats are examples of nonabsorbent
materials.

ACTIVITY 8.4

Your friends child is asking you about absorbent materials. How do

you explain to your friends child to test absorbent and non-absorbent

materials? Discuss in pairs.

(e) ElectricalConductivity

ACTIVITY 8.4

A material that allows electricity to pass through it is a material that

conductselectricity.Almostalltypesofmetalsuchaszinc,copper,brass
andgoldarematerialsthatconductelectricity.Nonmetalssuchasglass,
wood,plastic,cottonwoolandleatherarematerialsthatdonotconduct
electricity.Electricalconductivityisameasureoftheeasewithwhichan
electricalcurrentcanmoveinamaterial.Itmaybeinferredbylookingat
their resistivity, which refers to its ability to resist the passage of an
electricalcurrent.Figure8.6showsthetestofelectricalconduction.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 83

Figure8.6:Testofelectricalconduction

ACTIVITY 8.5
How do you test for electrical conduction? Arrange equipment to find
out which materials are electrical conductors and which are electrical
insulators. Figure 8.6 will help you do the test. Place the material
betweenthebatteryandthebulbtobetested.Seewhathappenstothe
lightbulb. Test several types of samples such as pencil, flower, soil,
waterandspoon.

Table8.3summarisestheelectricalresistivityofsomecommonmaterials.
Table8.3:ElectricalResistivityofSomeCommonMaterials
Materials

ElectricalResistivity(108ohms/m)

Copper

1.67

Aluminium

2.65

Iron

9.71

Steel

12.0

Pyrexglass

105

Concrete

0.1

Nylon

1016

Rubber

Softwood

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84 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

(f)

HeatConductivity

Whatisheatconductivity?
Amaterialthatallowsheattopassthroughiteasilyisamaterialthat
conductsheat.

Metals can conduct heat while nonmetals cannot conduct heat. Each
materialconductsheatinitsownspecialway.Agoodconductorwould
beusedinradiatorswhereasapoorconductorwouldbeusedtoinsulate
extremeheat.

Scientists have a way of measuring the value of how well heat is

conducted.Ifthevalueofamaterialislarger,itisabetterheatconductor
comparedtomaterialswithsmallvalues.Table8.4showsthevaluesof
heat conduction of some materials. A piece of copper with a heat
conduction value of about 8000 is a better heat conductor than foamed
plastic with a heat conduction value of about 1 because copper ranks
higherthanplastic.

Table8.4:ValuesofHeatConductionofSomeMaterials
Materials

ValuesofHeatConduction(Relative)

Copper

8000

Aluminium

4000

Brass

2500

Steel

1100

Pyrexglass

24

Concrete

Solidplastic

Rubber

FoamedPlastic

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 85

(g) Magnetism

Magnetismisthepropertyofmaterialstoattractiron,forexample,iron
oxide, cobalt, nickel and certain types of alloy. Actually, it is quite
difficult to explain the definition of magnetism; however, it is much
easier to explain what magnets do. Some of the characteristics of
magnetismareasfollows.
(i)

Magneticmaterialscanbeattractedbymagnets;

(ii)

Attractionmayhappenfromadistance;

(iii) Everymagnethastwopoles:northandsouthpoles;
(iv) Differentpoleswillbeattractedbutsimilarpoleswillberepelled;
(v)

Theregionaroundamagnetisknownasamagneticfield;

(vi) Bringing iron into close contact with a magnet will produce a
temporarymagnet;
(vii) Bringing steel into close contact with a magnet will produce a
permanentmagnet;and
(viii) Magnetismisreducedbyheatingorhammeringamagnet.

(h) OtherPropertiesofMaterials

Other properties of materials are hardness, toughness and brittleness,

strength, flexibility, solubility and waterproof. Table 8.5 summarises
theseproperties.

Table8.5:OtherPropertiesofMaterials
Properties

Explanation

Hardness

The shape of a hard material is difficult to change. It will

dent or scratch a softer material. It can also withstand
impactwithoutchanging.

Toughness Resistance to breaking by cracking. It is the opposite of

and
brittle.Itmaybedentedbytheimpactbutitisdifficultto
brittleness break.
Strength

The material is difficult to break by applying force.

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86 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Materials may have tensile strength and compressive

strength. Tensile strength means resistance to stretching
such as squeezing and pulling on the rope. It depends on
its crosssectional area. Compressive strength means
resistance to pressure, meaning it is hard to break by
crushing.
Flexibility

The material,whichis easy tobendwithoutbreaking, has

bothtensilestrengthandcompressivestrength.

Solubility

The solubility is the concentration of solute in a saturated

solution.Itisstatedasthemassingramsofthesolutethat
willsaturate100gramsofsolventatacertaintemperature.

Waterproof Resistancetoliquids.Repelswater.

ACTIVITY 8.6
Go on the Internet and find out more on materials and their uses
based on their properties. Discuss your findings with you
coursemates.

8.1.3 Importance of Materials

Materials play a pivotal role in our life, particularly in the areas of living
environment,health,communication,consumergoodsandtransport.Pressing
environmentalconcernsforceustousematerialsmoreefficiently.Itwillhelp
in the long run if we develop new energy generation technologies, more
energy efficient devices, and easily recyclable, less toxic materials. As far as
consumer goods are concerned, we need to emphasise not only on the
material products but also on the way they are handled such as packaging,
fasterproductionandhigherqualitygoods.

In health, materials are important to help us overcome disease and provide

worldwide medical care. In transport, we need durable, highperformance
materials that make travelling faster, safer and more comfortable. In

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 87

communication, the development of new electronic inventions is very

importantandrequiresopticalandmagneticmaterials.Withoutdevelopment
ofmaterialsinallareas,wemayfacemanydifficulties.
(a) ImportanceofPhysicalPropertiesofMaterials
Knowledgeaboutthepropertiesofmaterialsisveryimportant,especially
in choosing suitable materials to make various objects. Sometimes these
objects need more than one type of physical property. For thousands of
years,peopleonlyusednaturalpropertiesofnaturalmaterials.However,
scientists have now developed many new materials, influencing its
propertiesintheprocess.
(b) UseofPropertiesofMaterialsinEverydayLife
Humanshaveexploitedphysicalpropertiesofmaterialsfortheirownuse
in everyday life. We use materials that conduct electricity to produce
conductors and insulators. We use materials that allow light to pass
through them to produce transparent, translucent and opaque objects.
Table 8.6 shows other uses of properties of materials in producing some
everydayobjects.

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Table8.6:OtherUsesofPropertiesofMaterialsinProducingSomeEveryday
Objects
Property

Materials

Strength

Uses
Structuralcomponents
E.g.,rolledsteeljoints

Malleability

Waterpipes
Metals

Thermal
conductivity

Radiators,saucepans,ovens

Electrical
conductivity

Electricalcables

Hardness

Drillbits,hammerheads

Strength

Brick,concrete

Heatresistance

Ceramics

Abrasion
resistance

Ovenware
Crockery

Glass

Thermal
insulation

Loft,cavitywallinsulation

Transparency

Windows

Flexibility

Mouldeditems

Electrical
insulation

Sheathingofelectricalcables
Plastics

Thermal
insulation

Saucepanhandles

Lightness
strength

and

Construction,windowframes

Lightness
strength

and

Construction,
frames,

Wood

furniture
Flexibility,
insulation

Fabrics

doors,

window

Curtains,clothing,furnishing

Adapted from: Farrow, S. (1996). The really useful science book: A

frameworkofknowledgeforprimaryteachers.London:FalmerPress.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 89

8.2

NATURAL MATERIALS

Alllivingthingsandnonlivingthingsaresourcesofmaterials.Materialsthat
are originated from nature such as living organisms, plants and animals are
classifiedasbioticorbiologicalderivednaturalmaterial.Materialsoriginated
from soil, petroleum or metals are classified as abiotic or nonbiological
naturalmaterials.Weneedthesematerialstosupportourdailyneeds.

Naturalmaterialsaremadenaturallyafteralongperiodoftime.Forexample,
a rubber tree may take many years to become mature and ready for cutting
downtomake furniture,papersand insulators. Chemistry hasenabled us to
synthesise new materials, which have desired properties, thus making them
evenbetterthannaturalmaterialsinashorterperiodoftime.

(a) IdentifyingNaturalMaterials

Materials that are classified as natural materials originated from soil,

rocks,water,plants,animalsorminerals.Airisamixtureofgases,which
make up theearthsatmosphere andhas anabundanceofcomponents.
PartsoftheirusescanbeseeninTable8.7.

Table8.7:GasesandTheirUses

Gas

%Present
inAir

Uses

Nitrogen

78.0

Nitratesinsoil,useinammoniaproduction.

Oxygen

21.0

Respiration,oxidation,medicalapplication

Carbondioxide

0.04

Photosynthesis,dryice

Neon

Trace

Lighting

Argon

Trace

Domesticlightbulb

Helium

Trace

Airships

Krypton

Trace

Hightemperaturelightbulb

Xenon

Trace

Hightemperaturelightbulb

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90 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Waterisacolourless,odourlessliquid,whichisoriginallyderivedfrom
theearthsatmosphere.Itisrecycledfromtheatmospheretothecrustof
theearth.Itisimportantbecauseitsupportslifeontheplanet,asalmost
all the significant reactions at cellular level depend on the aqueous
solutions.

Wood,metal,leather,cotton,rubberandsilkarematerialsthataremade
of natural materials. These materials are considered valuable in their
relativelyunmodified(natural)form.

(b) ObjectsfromNaturalMaterials

Materials from natural materials vary in their use. Table 8.8 shows
naturalmaterialsandtheiruses.
Table8.8:NaturalMaterialsandTheirUses

(c)

NaturalMaterial

Uses

Rubber

Latex

Wood

Timber

Paraffinwaxandstearicacid

Candles

Carbonblackandwateroroil

Ink

Vegetablefibre

Woodpulp

Vegetablewaxes,oilandsap

Carnaubawax,linseedoil

Animalfibre

Wool,alpaca

Animalproduct

Leather,tallow,lard

SourceofRawMaterials
Rawmaterialsarematerialsthatareextractedfromtheearth.Processed
rawmaterialsarecalledsemifinishedmaterials.Whenitistransferred
intoanewcycleofproduction,theendproductisreadyforuse.

Theearthisthemainsourceofrawmaterials.Bioticmaterialsandnon
bioticmaterialsare thetypesofsources ofrawmaterials.Wood,straw,
humus, spider silk, and bone are examples of biotic materials. Biotic
materials are usually biodegradable, renewable and processing has
minimal impact on the environment. Somehow, in certain cases,

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 91

processing produces carbon emission. Polylactic acid, cornstarch and

bioplastic are examples of nonbiodegradable biotic materials. Non
biotic materials are materials that do not originate from plants and
animals. Water, soil, coal, crude oil, natural gas, rocks and air are
examplesofnonbioticrawmaterials.

Anotherexampleiscotton.Cottonisproducedfromamaturedflowerof
a cotton tree. It is harvested by plucking from a matured cotton tree
flower. The fluffy white material is then brought to the factory and
processedtoproducecottonthread.

SELF-CHECK 8.3
1. Whatisanaturalmaterial?
2. Statesomeobjectsthataremadefromnaturalmaterials.
3. Giveasmanyexamplesasyoucanofrawmaterialsthatcanbefound
inyoursurroundings.

8.3

MANUFACTURED MATERIALS

Manufactured materials are made from a mixture of natural materials

through chemical processes. These materials are also called manmade
materials.Thesematerialsareprocessedin factorieswithacombinationofa
fewdifferenttypesofmaterialsorfromonetypeofnaturalmaterial.

(a) IdentifyingManufacturedMaterials

Basic manufacturing processes frequently used in the production of

manufactured materials are relatively simple, often involving
irreversiblechemicalreactions.Thesereactionsareimportantinorderto
provide further raw materials for more complicated secondary
processes.

The physical process of raw materials would include the refining of

metals from ores, the firing of ceramic from clays and the making of
glassfromsandandminerals.

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92 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Thesawingoftimber,theproductionofpaperfromwoodpulpandthe
production of latex from rubber are examples of basic manufacturing
processes that involve biological raw materials. Secondary industries
involve the production of plastics (including synthetic fibres such as
nylon and terylene) from crude oil derivatives, detergents, paint and
perfumefromcoal,andothers.

Manufacturedmaterialsusuallyhavebetterpropertiescomparedtothe
naturalmaterialsfromwhichtheycomefrom.Theyareusuallydesigned
forspecificneeds,liketyresaremadeoflatexandsulphur.Metals,glass,
ceramics,plastics(includingrubber),paperand fabricsare examplesof
manufacturedmaterials.

ACTIVITY 8.7

Search the Internet for manufactured materials. Find out the

propertiesofmanufacturedmaterials.

(b) ObjectsfromManufacturedMaterials

Table 8.9 lists a few examples of objects from manufactured materials

andtheiruses.Youcanlistyourownexamplesthatareusedinourdaily
life.

Table8.9:ObjectsfromManufacturedMaterials
Manufactured
Material

Synthetic
rubber

Metals

Synthetic
Polymer

Uses

Styrenebutadiene
Tyres,shoesoles
rubber(SBR)
Neoprenerubber

Waterpipes,handgloves

Butylrubber

Tyres,shoesoles,hoses

Stainlesssteel

Cookingutensil,

Bronze

Medals,

Duralumin

Cookingutensil

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 93

Glass

Ceramic

Fabric

Plastic

Pyrex

Laboratory
utensil

apparatus,

cooking

Crystal

Cookingutensil

Brick

Building

Tiles

Building

Pottery

Decoration

Nylon

Cloth

Polyvinylchloride

Electrical insulators, music records,

pipes,bottles

Nylon

Synthetictextile,string,parachutes

Polythene

Plasticbags,foodcontainers,pails

Polystyrene

Packagingmaterials,heatinsulators,
toys

Melamine

Plates,cups

Epoxyglue

Glue,electricalinsulators

SELF-CHECK 8.4

1. Explainwhatmanufacturedmaterialsare.

2. State the processes that are applied to produce manufactured

materials.
3. Giveexamplesofobjectsfrommanufacturedmaterials.

ACTIVITY
8.8

You are given a sample of two

materials. One is a natural
material and the other one is a manufactured material. In your
group, plan an investigation to compare the materials by
choosingasuitablecharacteristic.Makeaprediction.Thenplana

fairtest.

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94 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

8.4

PRESERVATION OF NATURAL
MATERIALS

Aboutacenturyago,almosttheentirecountrywascoveredwithforests.Wild
cuttingofforestsduringtheearlysettlementcausedvastareasofbaredland.
This phenomenon of cutting down plants for timber and development
continuestoday.

Preservationreferstotheefforttomaintainnaturalresourcesintheiroriginal
stateoringoodcondition.Generally,preservationisrelatedtoconservation.
Conservation refers to the sustainable use and management of natural
materialstopreventloss,wastageordamage.

The importance of preservation is to ensure a continuous supply of natural

resources, reduce environmental pollution, maintain balance in nature,
prevent extinction of living organisms, prevent loss of habitats and keep the
environmentcleanandconduciveforhealthyliving.

Preservationshouldbepractised.Someoftheactionsthatshouldbetakento
preservenaturalmaterialsare:

(a) PreventingForestFires

Forest fires are wildly destructive. Plants and wildlife are killed. Forest
fires are caused by lightning (natural cause) and peoples carelessness
(accidentalcause).

(b) ImprovementCutting

Unwanted trees in a forest are removed from the stand. Crooked, aged
anddiseasedtreesaswellastreesoflessdesirablespeciesarecut.Inthis
way, space is provided for the growth of healthy, more valuable trees.
Thispracticeincreaseslumberyieldandimprovesitsquality.

(c) EnforcementofLawsandRegulation

This action is taken to protect endangered species and to prevent them

from becoming extinct. Examples of protected endangered species are
the Malayan tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, leatherback turtle, orang utan
(seeFigure8.7)anddeer.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 95

Figure8.7:Thegovernmenttodayhasenforcedlawsandregulationtoprotect
theorangutanandtheirhabitat

SELF-CHECK 8.5
Whatactionsshouldwetaketopreserveournaturalmaterials?

ACTIVITY 8.9
1. Whatnaturalresourcesaredestroyedbyforestfire?
2. In a group, discuss what action should be taken to prevent forest
fire.

8.5

COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Composite materials are those that combine the properties of two or more
constituents in order to get the exact properties needed for a particular job.
The examples of material usually used are metals, alloys, glass, ceramics,
plasticsandpolymers.Acompositematerialhaspropertiesthataresuperior
tothoseoftheoriginalcomponents.

There are manyexamplesofcompositesinnature.A treecangrowtogreat

heights and support heavy branches because it is a composite of flexible

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96 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

cellulosefibresinaligninmatrix(seeFigure8.8).Seashellsandlimestoneare
bothmadeofcalciumcarbonate,butseashellsaremuchharderbecausethey
are composites of crystalline calcium carbonate with embedded polypeptide
fibres.

Figure8.8:Thecombinationofcellulosefibresandligninmakethecellwall
strong

Thecompositeindustrywaslaunchedintheearly1960swiththedevelopment
offibreglassorglassreinforcedplastic.Itismadebyembeddingshortfibres
ofglassinamatrixofplastic.Theglassfibresgivetheplasticextrastrengthso
that it does not break when it is bent or moulded into shape. The finished
producthasthelightnessofplasticaswellasthestrengthandflexibilityofthe
glass fibres. They have found in many marine, housing, construction, sports
and industrial applications. Figure 8.9 shows the use of glassreinforced
plasticinmakingthebodyoftheboat.

Figure8.9:Theglassreinforcedplasticusedtomakeboats

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 97

Anothercompositematerialwhichisusuallyusedfortheconstructionoflarge
structures like highrise buildings, bridges and oil platforms are reinforced
concrete (see Figure 8.10). Concrete is a composite material that consists of a
mixtureofstones,chipsandsandboundtogetherbycement.Itisstrongbut
brittleandweakintensilestrength.Toovercomethisweakness,theconcrete
canbereinforcedwithsteelwirenettingorsteelrod,whichresultstoavery
tough material with high tensile strength. Reinforced concrete is relatively
cheapandcanbemouldedintoanyshape.

Figure8.10:Thereinforcedconcretewithsteelwirenettingandsteelrods

Thestrongestnewcompositearetheadvancedcomposites,inwhichfibresare
alignedorinterwovenbeforebeingsetwithintheresin.Advancedcomposites
have extraordinary strength in the direction of the aligned fibres and are
relativelyweakintheperpendiculardirection.Weaknessinonedirectioncan
beovercomebylaminatinglayerstogetheratdifferentangles,asinplywood,
afamiliarcomposite.Strengthinalldirectionscanbeachievedbyweavingthe
fibres into a threedimensional network. Besides strength, advanced
compositesarealsoknownfortheirlightness,whichmakethemidealforcar
parts, sporting goods and artificial limbs. Advanced composites tend to be
expensive, however because much of their production is still done by hand.
Aeroplane parts, and even whole aeroplane, are now being fabricated out of
lightweightadvancedcompositesinordertosavefuel.In1986,thefirstplane

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98 XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

built with all advanced composites material is Voyager, which can fly
aroundtheworldwithoutrefuelling(seeFigure8.11).

Figure8.11:ThealladvancedcompositeVoyageraeroplane

ACTIVITY 8.10
1.

2.

3.

8.6

What is a composite and what are some examples found in nature other

than given in the text?

Where are you most likely to find composites in the marketplace today?
Why are composites an ideal material for aircraft?

MATERIALS IN INDUSTRY

Letusnowlearnonthematerialsinindustry.

8.6.1 Soap

Millions of tonnes of soaps are manufactured worldwide every year (see

Figure 8.12). Soap is manufactured by heating natural fats and oils of either
plantsoranimalswithastrongalkali.Thesefatsandoils,calledtriglycerides,
are complicated ester molecules. Pioneers prepared their soap by boiling
animalfatwithanalkalinesolutionobtainedfromtheashesofhardwood.The
resultinglyesoapcouldbesaltedoutbyaddingsodiumchoride,because
soapislesssolubleinasaltsolutionthaninwater.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 99

Figure8.12:Soapismanufacturedbyheatingnaturalfatsandoilwithastrong
alkali

Nowadays, fat is boiled with aqueous sodium hydroxide to form soap. The
esters are broken down in the presence of waterhydrolysed. This type of
reaction is called saponification. The equation given below is that for the
saponificationofglycerylstearate(afat)(seeFigure8.13).

glyceryl stearate + sodium hydroxide sodium stearate + glycerol

(soap)

Figure8.13:Saponificationreaction

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100XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

The cleaning properties of the soap depend on its structure and bonding.
Sodium stearate consists of a long hydrocarbon chain which is hydrophobic
(waterhating)attachedtoanionicheadwhichishydrophilic(waterloving)
(seeFigure8.14).

Figure8.14:Simplifieddiagramofasoapmolecule

Covalent compounds are generally insoluble in water but they are more
solubleinorganicsolvents.Ioniccompoundsaregenerallywatersolublebut
tendtobeinsolubleinorganicsolvents.Whensoapisputintowaterwhich
hasagreasydish(oragreasycloth)init,thehydrophobichydrocarbonchain
oneachsoapmoleculebecomeattractedtothegreaseandbecomeembedded
init(Figure8.15).

with

agitation

Figure8.15:Howsoapswork

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 101

On the other hand, the hydrophilic ionic head group is not attracted to the
grease/dirt/oilbutisstronglyattractedtothewatermolecules.Whenthewater
isstirred,thegrease/dirt/oilisslowlyreleasedandiscompletelysurrounded
bythesoapmolecules.Thesoapisabletoremovethegrease/dirt/oilbecause
ofthecombinationofthecovalentandionicbondspresent.

8.6.2 Natural and Synthetic Rubber

In the 1930s, more than 90 per cent of the natural rubber used in the United
States came from Malaysia. In the days after Pearl Harbour was attacked in
December 1941 and the United States entered World War II, Japan had
captured Malaysia. As a result, the United Stated faced its first natural
resource crisis. The military implications were devastating because without
rubberfortyres,militaryaeroplanesandjeepswereuseless.Petroleumbased
synthetic rubber had been developed in 1930 by DuPont chemist Wallace
Carothersbutwasnotwidelyusedbecauseitwasmuchmoreexpensivethan
naturalrubber.Withtheongoingwar,however,costwasnolongeranissue.
Synthetic rubber factories were constructed across the nation, and within a
fewyears,theannualproductionofsyntheticrubberrosefrom2,000tonnesto
about800,000tonnes.

Naturalrubberisapolymerwithitsmonomerunit,isoprene(seeFigure8.16).
Duringpolymerisation,thousandsofisopreneunitswilljointogethertoform
poly(isoprene)ornaturalrubber(seeFigure8.17).

Figure8.16:Isopreneunit

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102XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Figure8.17:Polyisoprene(naturalrubber)

Naturalrubbercommonlyhashighlyelasticitybutisunstabletoheatandoxidation.
Whenitiswarmedabove50C,itsoftensandbecomesstickyandwilldecomposeif
weheatittoatemperatureabove200C.Thepresenceofdoublebondsinthepolymer
chainmakesitsusceptibletooxidationandbreaksupthepolymerchains.

VulcanisationisamanufacturingprocessdiscoveredbyCharlesGoodyearin1939to
convertnaturalrubberintoatoughusefulproduct.Inthisprocess,about1%to3%by
weightofsulphurisaddedtorawrubberandthemixtureiscarefullyheated.Sulphur
atoms form crosslinks between adjacent chains of rubber polymer at the carbon
carbondoublebonds(seeFigure8.18).

Figure8.18:Vulcanisedrubbershowingdisulfidecrosslinks
Synthetic rubber is any type of artificial elastomer mainly synthesised from
petroleum by products. An elastomer is a material with the mechanical (or
material) property that it can undergo much more elastic deformation under
stress than most materials and still return to its previous size without
permanentdeformation.Syntheticrubber,likenaturalrubber,hasusesinthe
automotive industry for door and window profiles, hoses (see Figure 8.19),

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 103

belts, matting, flooring and dampeners (antivibration mounts). Table 8.10

showsthedifferencesbetweensyntheticrubberandnaturalrubber.

Table8.10:ComparisonofPropertiesbetweenManufacturedMaterials
(SyntheticRubber)andNaturalMaterials(NaturalRubber)
SyntheticRubber

Properties

NaturalRubber

Synthetic

Typeofpolymer

Natural

Abletowithstand
hightemperature

Hightemperatureeffect

Decomposesand
becomeliquid

Verypermeableto
gasandwater

Permeabilitytogasand Notpermeabletogas
water
andwater

Doesnotreactto
acidandalkali

Abilitytowithstand
actionsofacidand
alkali

Reacttoacidand
alkali

Lowability

Abilitytoabsorb
pressure,vibrationand
sound

Highability

Canbevulcanised

Vulcanisation

Easilyvulcanised

Figure8.19:Productfromsyntheticrubber

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104XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

8.6.3 Natural and Synthetic Fibres

Natural fibres can be defined as substances produced by plants and animals
that can be spun into filament, thread or rope and in a next step be woven,
knitted, matted or bound. The oldest fibres used by mankind are cotton
(5,000BC)andsilk(2,700BC),butevenjuteandcoirhavebeencultivatedsince
antiquity. The main reasons for the popularity of biocomposites or natural
fibrecompositesaretheavailabilityandconsistentqualityofawiderangeof
fibres, and their environmental friendliness. Moreover, new production
processes,suchasinjectedmouldedcomponents,makeitpossibletousethese
materialsforindustrialproducts.

Additional key advantages of natural fibres are their high strength and
stiffness per weight along with benefits such as acoustic isolation, safety
management, rapid production and potentially low cost. The most viable
structural fibres typically derive from specifically grown textile plants and
fruit trees. There are two categories of natural fibres, vegetable fibres and
animalfibres.Vegetablefibresaresubdividedintobastfibres(flax,hemp,jute
and kenaf) leaf fibres (sisal, pineapples and henequen), grass fibres (bamboo
and miscanthus), straw fibres (corn and wheat), seed fibres (cotton and
capok), wood fibres (pinewood) and fruit fibres (coconut), whereas animal
fibresaresilk,avian,hairandwool(seeFigure8.20).Figure8.21showskenaf
plantswhichisfromthebastfibrescategory.

Figure8.20:Twocategoriesofnaturalfibres

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 105

Figure8.21:Kenafplantsisasourceofnaturalfibre

Syntheticfibresaremadefromsynthesisedpolymersorsmallmolecules.The
compoundsthatareusedtomakethesefibrescomefromrawmaterialssuch
as petroleum based chemicals or petrochemicals. These materials are
polymeriseintoalong,linearchemicalthatbondtwoadjacentcarbonatoms.
Different chemical compounds will be used to produce different types of
fibres. Although there are several different synthetic fibres, they generally
havethesamecommonproperties.Syntheticfibresarecommonlyveryheat
sensitive,resistanttomostchemicals,insect,fungiandrot.Ithaslowmoisture
absorbency,flameresistant,lowmeltingtemperature.Syntheticfibresarealso
very easy to wash and maintain and the main thing is that it is often less
expensivethannaturalfibres.

Thefirstsyntheticfibreknownasnylonwasdiscoveredin1931.Itsnoveluse
asamaterialforwomensstockingovershadowedmorepracticaluses,suchas
a replacement for the silk in parachutes and other military uses. Other
commonsyntheticfibresaremodacrylic,olefin,acrylic,polyesterandcarbon
fibre. Specialty synthetic fibres include vinyon, saran, spandex, vinolon,
aramids, modal, sulfar, orlon, zylon, vecran, derclon and rayon. Figure 8.22
showstwoexamplesofsyntheticfibres.

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106XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Figure8.22:Nylonandpolyester

ACTIVITY 8.11

1. Compareandcontrastnaturalfibresandsyntheticfibres.

2. Find out the uses of all common natural and synthetic fibre

giveninthetext

8.6.4 Plastics

With a record of wartime successes, plastics were readily embraced in the

postwaryears.Inthe1950s,Dacronpolyesterwasintroducedasasubstitute
forwool. The 1950swasalsothedecadeduring whichtheentrepreneur Earl
TuppercreatedalineofpolyethylenefoodcontainersknownasTupperware
(seeFigure8.23).

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 107

Figure8.23:Tupperware,polyethylenefoodcontainer

A plastic material is any material of a wide range of synthetic or semi

synthetic organic solids that are mouldable. Plastics are typically organic
polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances
knownasadditives.Theyareusuallysynthetic,mostcommonlyderivedfrom
petrochemicals,butmanyarepartiallynatural.Theamountofadditivesrange
fromzeropercentageforpolymersusedtowrapfoodstomorethan50%for
certainelectronicapplications.Exampleofadditiveisfillerswhichfunctionto
improve performance and/or reduce production costs. Stabilising additives
includefireretardantstolowertheflammabilityofthematerial.

Plastics are usually classified by their chemical structure of the polymers

backboneandsidechains.Someimportantgroupsoftheseclassificationsare
the acrylics, polyesters, silicones, polyurethanes and halogenated plastics.
Other type of classification is based on the chemical reaction toward heat.
Examplesarethermoplasticsandthermosettingpolymers.Thermoplasticsare
the plastics that do not undergo chemical change in their composition when
heated and can be moulded again and again. This type of plastics includes
polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyvinylchloride.
Thermosetting polymers can melt and take shape once. After they have
solidified, they stay solid because in the thermosetting process, a chemical
reaction occurs that is irreversible. An example is the vulcanised rubber.
Otherclassificationsarebasedonqualitiesthatarerelevantformanufacturing
andalsoonthephysicalproperties.

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108XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

By the 1960s, a decade of environmental awakening, many people began to

recognise the negative attribution of plastics. Being cheap, disposable, and
nonbiodegradable, plastic readily accumulated as litter and as landfill. With
petroleumsoreadilyavailableandinexpensive,however,andwithagrowing
population of plasticdependent baby boomers, little stood in the way of an
everexpanding array of plastic consumer products. By 1977, environmental
concernsstartedtogrow,andin1980splasticsrecyclingprogrammesbeganto
appear. Researches to produce biodegradable plastics have been done
progressively.Anexampleistheuseofstarchpowdermixedwithplasticsasa
fillertoallowittodegrademoreeasily,butitstilldoesnotleadtocomplete
breakdown of the plastic. Some researchers have actually genetically
engineeredbacteriathatsynthesiseacompletelybiodegradableplastic.

SELF CHECK 8.6

Search from the Internet or other

resource on research/products of
biodegradableplasticsthathasbeendoneinMalaysia.

x
x
x

Physical properties of materials include elasticity, shininess, buoyancy,

waterabsorbency,electricalconductivityandheatconductivity.
Other physical properties of materials include hardness, toughness and
brittleness,strength,flexibilityandsolubility.
Elasticityistheabilityofamaterialtoreturntoitsoriginalshapeandsize
afterbeingbent,twisted,stretchedandsqueezed.Materialsthatareableto
returntotheiroldshapewhenforceisnolongerappliedarecalledelastic
materials.
Somematerialsareshinyandsomearenot.
Materials can also be divided into three types according to its ability to
allowlighttopassthroughit.Thesearetransparentmaterials,translucent
materialsandopaquematerials.
Buoyancyistheabilityofmaterialstofloatinliquid.

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 109

x
x
x
x
x
x

x
x
x
x

x
x

Materials which can absorb water are known as absorbent materials and
materials which cannot absorb water are known as nonabsorbent
materials.
A material that allows electricity to pass through it is a material that
conductselectricity.
A material that allows heat to pass through it easily is a material that
conductsheat.
Magnetism is the property of materials to attract iron, for example, iron
oxide,cobalt,nickelandcertaintypesofalloy.
Knowledgeaboutthepropertiesofmaterialsisveryimportant,especially
inchoosingsuitablematerialstomakevariousobjects.
Thepropertiesofmaterialshavemanyusefulapplicationsinourdailylife.
Materialsaremadeofthousandsofsmallparticlescalledatoms.
Materials can be divided into three categories according to their
componentsofatom:element,compoundandmixture.
Materials can be classified into two types according to their use: natural
materialsandmanmadematerialsormanufacturedmaterials.
Natural materials originate from soil, rocks, water, plant, animal or
minerals.
Manufactured materials are made from a mixture of natural materials
throughchemicalprocesses.
Manufacturedmaterialsaredesignedaccordingtotheneedsofthemarket.
Preservation refers to the effort to maintain natural resources in their
originalstateoringoodcondition.
Conservation refers to the sustainable use and management of natural
materialstopreventloss,wastageordamage.
Composite materials are the materials which combine the properties of
twosubstancesinordertogettheexactpropertiesrequiredforaparticular
job.

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110XTOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Saponificationistheprocessofmakingsoapbyheatingnaturalfatsandoil
withastrongalkali.

x
x
x

Polymerisation is the process of isoprene units join together to form

poly(isoprene)ornaturalrubber.
Synthetic rubber is any type of artificial elastomer mainly synthesised
frompetroleumbyproductswithbetterqualitythannaturalrubber.
Natural fibres is substances produced by plants and animals that can be
spun into filament, thread or rope and in a next step be woven, knitted,
matted or bound, while synthetic fibre are made from synthesised
polymersorsmallmolecules.
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic
organic solids that are mouldable. All plastics are polymers but not all
polymersareplastics.

Abiotic

Mixture

Biotic

Naturalmaterial

Component

Plastics

Compositematerials

Preservation

Conservation

Rawmaterial

Element

Rubber

Fibre

Soap

Manufacturedmaterial

Synthetic

Material

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TOPIC 8 NATURAL MATERIALS & MANUFACTURED OR MAN-MADE MATERIALS 111

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Farrow, S. (1996). The really useful science book: A framework of knowledge for
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Ramsden, E. (2001). Key science: Chemistry (3rd ed.). Cheltenham: Nelson

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