UNIVERSITY YACHAY TECH

School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering

APPLICATION OF MATERIALS

Name: María Daniela Palma Loor Date: May 2, 2023

Semester: 8th Chemistry Unit: UC 1

Theme: Introduction

HOMEWORK No 1
1. A cylindrical metal specimen 10.7000 mm in diameter and 95.000 mm long is to be subjected to
a tensile force of 6300 N; at this force level, the resulting deformation will be totally elastic.

Yachay Tech University 1

If the final length is less than 95.040 mm, then the Young’s Modulus of the material must be greater
than 166.27 GPa. Table 6.1 shows the metals that are acceptable candidates:
Nickel, steel, and tungsten. This is because the higher the Young’s modulus, the higher the material’s
resistance to elastic deformation.

b) If, in addition, the diameter must be no greater than 10.698 mm while the tensile force of 6300
N is applied, which of the metals that satisfy the criterion in part (a) are suitable candidates? Why?

For this part of the problem it is necessary to ascertain which of nickel, steel, and tungsten will have
diameters of no greater than 10.698 while the 6300 N force is being applied.
So, we have df= 10.698 mm.

Hence, for all the candidates, the strain ratio is well within the required dimensions. Therefore, the
suitable candidates are Nickel, Steel and Tungsten.

Nickel; v= 0.31
Steel; v=0.30
Tungsten; v=0.28

First write the lateral strain ratio for the cylindrical specimen and then calculate the lateral strain
ratio for the Nickel, Steel and Tungsten and finally compare it with the lateral strain of cylindrical
specimen and we found that the value of lateral strain ratio for all the three metals is less than the

Yachay Tech University 2

standard cylindrical specimen. Thus, for all the candidates, the strain ratio is well within the re-
quired dimensions.

2. Briefly explain why the thermal conductivities are higher for crystalline than for noncrystalline
ceramics.
Crystalline ceramics have a regular, repeating atomic structure, with atoms arranged in an ordered
pattern. This atomic structure allows for more efficient transfer of heat energy through the mate-
rial, as the ordered arrangement of atoms allows for a more direct and unimpeded path for heat to
travel through the material.
In contrast, non-crystalline ceramics have a disordered atomic structure, with atoms arranged in a
random or amorphous pattern. This lack of order and symmetry in the atomic structure leads to a
less direct and less efficient transfer of heat energy through the material, resulting in lower thermal
conductivity.
Therefore, crystalline ceramics generally have higher thermal conductivities than non-crystalline
ceramics.

3. Briefly explain why metals are typically better thermal conductors than ceramic materials.
Metals are typically better thermal conductors than ceramic materials due to their unique electronic
structure.
In metals, there is a sea of free electrons that are not bound to any one particular atom. These free
electrons can easily move throughout the material in response to temperature differences, carrying
thermal energy with them and facilitating the transfer of heat.
In contrast, ceramic materials typically have covalent or ionic bonding, which results in a less mo-
bile electron population and a less efficient transfer of thermal energy.
Additionally, the crystal structures of metals typically have more closely packed atoms and fewer
defects or voids than ceramic materials, which also contributes to their higher thermal conductivity.

4. a) Briefly explain why porosity decreases the thermal conductivity of ceramic and polymeric
materials, rendering them more thermally insulative.
Porosity is the existence of voids or empty spaces within a material, which can decrease its ability to
conduct heat. When ceramic or polymeric materials have high porosity, these voids act as barriers
that reduce the rate of heat transfer, resulting in a decrease in the thermal conductivity of the ma-
terial. The thermal conductivity of a gas phase occupying pore space is extremely small compared
to that of the solid material, and contributions from gaseous convection are generally negligible.
Therefore, materials with high porosity, such as foams or insulating materials, are often used for
their thermal insulation properties, as they reduce the rate of heat transfer and help regulate tem-
perature in a variety of applications, from building insulation to packaging materials. On the other
hand, a material with low porosity has fewer voids or empty spaces, allowing for more direct and
efficient thermal energy transfer.

Yachay Tech University 3

4. b) Briefly explain how the degree of crystallinity affects the thermal conductivity of polymeric
materials and why.
Increasing the degree of crystallinity of a semicrystalline polymer enhances its The degree of crys-
tallinity refers to the extent to which polymer molecules are arranged in a crystalline structure in a
solid polymeric material. A higher degree of crystallinity generally results in higher thermal conduc-
tivity in polymeric materials. This is because in crystalline regions, the polymer chains are tighter
and have fewer defects or irregularities, resulting in more efficient thermal energy transfer through
the material.
Unlike amorphous regions they have a disordered structure with more free volume, which allows
the material to absorb more vibrational energy and thermal energy transfer to be less efficient.
Therefore, materials with lower degree of crystallinity and higher amorphous content tend to have
lower thermal conductivity.

5. Compute the velocity of light in diamond, which has a dielectric constant ϵr of 5.5 (at frequencies
within the visible range) and magnetic susceptibility of −2.17 × 10−5 .

Reference:
WILLIAM D. CALLISTER, JR. (2013) Department of Metallurgical Engineering. Recupered by PDF.

Yachay Tech University 4