Material: The foundation of technical applications

The term material refers to materials that are used for the manufacture of products, components or technical devices. Materials play a central role in technology, science and industry, as their properties have a significant influence on the function, durability and efficiency of products. They can be divided into different categories according to their chemical composition and physical properties.

Categories of materials

Materials are generally divided into four main groups:

• Metals: Ferrous metals such as steel and cast iron as well as non-ferrous metals such as aluminium, copper and titanium. They are characterised by their high strength, electrical conductivity and malleability.
• Ceramics: These materials, such as aluminium oxide or silicon carbide, are hard, temperature-resistant and chemically stable, but often brittle.
• Plastics: Polymers such as polyethylene, polycarbonate and epoxy resin. They are lightweight, versatile and chemically adaptable.
• Composites: Materials that consist of two or more different materials, such as fibre composites (e.g. glass fibre or carbon fibre) or metal matrix composites.

Properties of materials

The selection of a material depends on its specific properties that make it suitable for a particular application:

• Mechanical properties: Strength, hardness, elasticity and toughness.
• Thermal properties: Thermal conductivity, coefficient of expansion and melting point.
• Electrical properties: Conductivity, dielectric constant and magnetisability.
• Chemical properties: Corrosion resistance, reactivity and chemical stability.

Materials in magnetics

Materials play a special role in magnetics, as they determine the properties and applications of magnets:

• Ferromagnetic materials: Iron, nickel, cobalt and their alloys are the basis for strong permanent magnets.
• Ferritic materials: These ceramic materials are lightweight, corrosion-resistant and widely used in electric motors.
• Rare earth materials: Neodymium-iron-boron and samarium-cobalt offer exceptional magnetic properties for high-performance applications.
• Soft magnetic materials: Materials such as silicon steel or amorphous metals are used in transformers and induction coils.

Applications of materials

Materials are indispensable in almost all areas of technology and industry:

• Construction industry: Reinforced concrete, bricks and composite materials form the basis of modern buildings.
• Automotive industry: Lightweight materials such as aluminium and carbon fibre improve efficiency and performance.
• Electronics: Semiconductor materials such as silicon and gallium arsenide are the basis for microchips and sensors.
• Energy: Magnetic materials and ceramics are used in generators, transformers and batteries.

Interesting facts about materials

Did you know that progress in materials science is a key driver of technological development? Materials such as graphene, which consists of a single atomic layer of carbon, are revolutionising electronics, while superconducting materials enable loss-free energy transmission. In magnetics, new combinations of materials are significantly improving the efficiency of motors and generators.