Searching for Chemicals:  A Material Science Lesson for Chemistry Students.  Part 2

This Exercise is #4 in Experiments and Exercises in Chemistry Courses  http://murov.info/chemexpts.htm
For Part 1 and 3, please jump to http://murov.info/matsci1.htm, http://murov.info/matsci3.htm
For more web sites by Steven Murov including chemistry sites, jump to:  http://murov.info
Note 1

This site focuses on the exciting field of material science from a chemistry perspective.  The thought processes involved in these exercises should serve to stimulate interest in chemistry and fill a sometimes overlooked part of the challenges in the field of chemistry.  The first part of this lesson provided experience with some of the Internet resources available.  It introduced and reviewed some of the sources of information available at the fingertips of anyone with an Internet connected computer.  The exercises in the first website are more traditional in nature whereas the challenges in this site are more unique and hopefully will stimulate interest and insight into the selection of materials for specific applications.

Searches for materials based on desired properties. 

A.  Extreme Properties of Elements.

B.  Material Selection Using the Internet:  Search techniques

C.  Polymers

D.  Metal and/or Metal Alloys

E.  Compounds (evaluation of commercial products)

Appendix A.  The Properties of Substances (Elements, Compounds)

Appendix B.  The Properties of Solvents

Appendix C.   Search for Compounds from Properties 

Appendix D.  Spectra of Substances

Appendix E.  Links to Information about Metal Alloys

Appendix F.  Solutions to problems

B.  Material Selection Using the Internet:  The search techniques. The very interesting and increasingly important field of material science involves determination of the properties of a material needed for an application and then selection of a material that has the desired properties.  A very useful site for selecting polymers and metals for particular applications is: 
http://www.matweb.com/ or
http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx.  
Other sites that are useful for finding the properties of the elements are: 
http://ww.knowledgedoor.com/  
https://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/periodic/.  Before searching for a material, you should familiarize yourself with the matweb site, its capabilities and some of the properties in its database. To begin this process, the exercises below will help you learn how to navigate around the site.

(For filled in table, go to: III-B-1)

a.  Until 1886  aluminum was an expensive metal that was not commonly used.  What properties of aluminum often make aluminum the metal of choice for many applications?  What changed around that time that made aluminum much less expensive and common for many uses?  (III-B-1-a for answer)

b.  According to the data you have entered in the table, titanium has some advantages over iron and aluminum.  What are the pros and cons of titanium use and why is it not used more often?   (III-B-1-b for answer)

3.  Now lets do a search for a type of plexiglas that is needed to make a container for a visible transmission study at relatively high temperature.  A search is possible for three different properties at:  http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx .  For instance, you might select a minimum Vical softening point temperature of 115^oC, visible transmission minimum of 92% and 0.4% water absorbance.  1705 choices will result.  The criteria could be narrowed but another method to proceed is to register (free) on the site and select Advanced search.  This gives you the option of entering plexiglass in the search text.  Then enter two more criteria such as Vical softening at a minimum of 115^oC and 0.4% water absorption.  An even more selective option is to purchase the premium version which gives 10 criteria to further limit possibilities.

a.  List the two results of the last search.  (Answer at:  III-B-3-a)

4.  Material Selection. Consider for a moment that you have been asked to select a material to use as electrical wire. Assume for the this sample exercise that you are restricted to the use of a pure element. First, you need to think about the pertinent properties involved in this selection. For electrical wiring, the element should: have very high electrical conductivity (or minimal resistivity), be very ductile so it can be drawn into wires, have corrosion resistance and have a low cost. Next, the relative importance of each property needs to be considered and then a search should be performed for elements that satisfy the criteria. Taking all properties into account, you would probably conclude that copper and aluminum would be the best candidates. For the applications below, list the criteria you would use to make a selection and do your best to select at least one element for the application.  A search site for properties applicable for this exercise is:

http://www.matweb.com/       http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx

Either use the first site to search for the properties of a particular element or use the second site to fill in desired properties and search for metals that fit the criteria. This program will find alloys as well as elements and it is ok to list alloys instead of elements below.

There are several approaches for use of these sites to perform a search.  There very well could be better approaches than those suggested here.  Try to develop an approach that you are comfortable with and produces useful results.  The exercises that follow do not have specific answers that are necessarily better than other answers.  The primary goal is to stimulate thinking about the most important properties needed for the particular application.  The elements or alloys that result should be considered informed suggestions with much more research and probably experimentation needed to to expand or narrow the list.

For specific compounds such as Plexiglas VO52i, the name can be inserted into the search box at http://www.matweb.com/ .  For the exercises below, it is also possible to enter the application like "pots pans" into the search box but more options are available if you register and choose advanced search or go to:  http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx and choose advanced search. This enables insertion of "pots pans" into the text search and then a choice of two properties with limits.  It will probably help to select "don't use wildcards."  It might be worthwhile to consider limiting the material to a metal with a melting point above 600^oC.  Some suggestions for text entries are included with the exercises.

It might also be informative to perform a Google search such as "pots and pans composition".

item	properties desired	best elements	image
pots and pans
friendship ring
hammer head

As another example of a search for a material, consider the selection of a polymer for use as a coating on a magnetic stirring bar. Some of the properties that are needed are: high melting point [the stirring bar is sometimes used in solvents at their boiling points and melting would be very undesirable. A good starting lower limit for the melting point would be 300^oC.], a low coefficient of friction (£0.03) will facilitate spinning and low water absorption (£.001%) should inhibit water penetration to the magnet. At http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx , scroll down and select “Polymer”.  In the boxes below, set the melting point at a minimum of 300^oC (the maximum does not have to be set) and the coefficient of friction and water absorption at maxima of 0.03 and 0.001 respectively (with minima at 0). Clicking on “Find” should result in different forms of teflon or PTFE. The molded form is probably most appropriate for use as a coating for the magnet. The exercises that follow will encourage you to navigate yourself around the site to determine suitable plastics and metals and/or metal alloys for specific applications. If too many possibilities result from a search, put more severe restrictions on the properties.

C. Material selection - Polymers

item	properties desired	possible plastics	image
2 L bottle enter "soda bottle"
frying pan coating enter "nonstick"
telephone case enter "telephone"
food storage bags enter "food bags"
tires enter "rubber"

D. Material selection - Metals and/or Metal Alloys

item	properties desired	possible metal and metal alloys	image
bicycle frame
solder
electrical wire
nails

(For filled in table, see III-D)

Some applications call for the selection of an organic or inorganic compound.  Properties of compounds can be found Appendix A and it is possible to insert some properties into the web sites in Appendix C and have the site narrow down the list to likely candidates.  The exercises below are intended primarily to focus attention on the selection of desired properties.  For most of these exercises, the challenge of selecting materials is beyond the scope of this exercise.  Instead some of the commercially available product ingredients are listed.  Do the commercially available chemicals satisfy the properties that you considered necessary when selecting candidates for this application?

For  partially filled in table, see:  E.)

2.  antifreeze  -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifreeze    
https://www.chemicals.co.uk/blog/what-is-antifreeze  
https://chem-group.com/antifreeze-the-ultimate-guide/

4.  antacids -  https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/antacids.html

5.  analgesics - https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-the-difference-between-motrin-and-advil-770459
https://we.riseup.net/pages/infografias-data-analysis+309052/images/244134   
https://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/which-one-should-i-take-how-to-choose-over-the-counter-pain-medication-6671

• 6.  Sunscreens.  The selection of chemicals for use in sunscreens has received some attention.  The links below suggest some approaches to the problem.  Some of the chemicals commonly used in commercial products are provided.  After listing properties that should be considered when selecting a sunscreen. determine if the chemicals have these properties.  If possible, try to rank the chemicals from best to worst. 
  
• Lasker, G.A., Simcox, N.J., Mellor, K.E.,  Mullins, M.L., 
• Nesmith, S.M.,  van Bergen, S., and Anastas, P.T.,Chem. Ed., 2019, 96, 4, 720-724. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00408

 

 

Information on radiation from the sun and compounds used as ingredients in commercial sun screens is included above.  Zinc oxide and titanium oxide block or reflect incoming radiation while the organic compounds are designed to absorb the radiation.  In addition to the light transmission properties, what other properties should be considered for selection of the ingredients of sunscreen?

7.  Blue food coloring.  If movies were an indication of reality, the conclusion would be that most chemicals have vivid colors.  Whenever a scene involves chemicals, it is common to include elaborate glassware containing chemicals of many colors.  Actually, if you walk through a chemistry stockroom, the observation will be that most solids are white and most liquids are colorless.  There is a challenge finding an appropriate chemical when color is needed and the problem is enhanced when toxicity is a consideration as many colored chemicals have substantial toxicity.  Color is due to electronic transitions in the visible but this property can also be related to toxicity.


 

 

https://www.artpublikamag.com/post/when-color-kills-toxic-pigments-through-the-ages

https://newbridgewellness.com/food-dyes/

https://cspinet.org/sites/default/files/attachment/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_of_chemicals

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aposematism

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23026007/

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2015-2016/october-2015/food-colorings.html

8.  Basic chemicals for life on earth.  Three of the primary simple chemicals of life are water, oxygen and carbon dioxide. In addition organic polymers form the construction material and provide the information needed for reproduction.  Is it possible that life elsewhere in the Universe could be base on different chemicals such as ammonia instead of water and silicon polymers instead of carbon polymers?  Science fiction novels sometimes use the periodic table and select silicon to replace the carbon in our life systems.  Consider whether options of this type could possibly sustain life.  For instance, it water is going to play a significant role, are silicon bonds to itself and other elements stable in the presence of water?  This is more a thought challenge but should result in thinking beyond the box and significant learning.

https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/silicon-based-life-may-be-more-just-science-fiction-n748266
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothetical_types_of_biochemistry
https://reasons.org/explore/blogs/impact-events/does-life-need-to-be-carbon-based
https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/why-is-life-on-earth-carbon-based.html
https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/misconceptions-of-science-is-silicon-based-life-possible/

(1) (PDF) Geochemical and biological controls on the ecological relevance of total, dissolved and colloidal forms of trace elements in large boreal rivers: review and case studies (researchgate.net)

 A. Elements - Periodic Tables -
      WebElements - http://www.webelements.com/  
      http://murov.info/aufbaupt.htm     http://murov.info/periodictables.htm
      http://murov.info/pertabtrends.htm                 http://murov.info/pertabtrends.pptx
       Directory of Periodic Tables - https://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/35_pt/pt_database.php?Button=All
                                                 http://murov.info/periodictables.htm 
       Periodic table with history of elements - http://elements.vanderkrogt.net/
       Chronology of the development of the periodic table - http://murov.info/timelines.htm
       History of elements and periodic table - http://www.chem.unt.edu/~jimm/REDISCOVERY%207-09-2018/
       Properties of the elements -  http://www.knowledgedoor.com/
            https://material-properties.org/prices-of-chemical-elements-kg/
            https://dbpedia.org/page/Prices_of_chemical_elements  

B.  Compounds - Properties
       1. Tabulation
            Murov - http://murov.info/orgcmpds.htm
            WolframAlpha - http://www.wolframalpha.com/
            Chemical Book - http://www.chemicalbook.com/
            Chemidplus - https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/    https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp
            Stenutz - http://www.stenutz.eu/chem/search.php
            ChemBK - https://www.chembk.com/en
            Knovel Critical Tables (If using Explorer, it must be newest version)
                  (21824 compounds in sortable tables) - login required  -  
                   initial registration or login:  https://app.knovel.com/web/register.v ,
                        already registered login:  https://app.knovel.com/web/login.v ,                   
                  click on or copy and paste:
                     https://app.knovel.com/web/view/itable/show.v/rcid:kpKCTE000X/cid:kt002VLXT1/viewerType:itble/
                  To filter the listing, click on the triangle following the desired parameter,
                   select filter and then enter the limits of the desired parameter (<, > or =) and hit enter.
                   (7274 Compounds in sortable tables) - 
                    https://app.knovel.com/web/view/itable/show.v/rcid:kpKS000009/cid:kt00395F16/viewerType:itble/
            ChemSynthesis - https://www.chemsynthesis.com/
            Kaye and Laby - organic -https://web.archive.org/web/20190519191800/http://www.kayelaby.npl.co.uk/chemistry/3_3/3_3.html
                                     inorganic - https://web.archive.org/web/20190502165701/http://www.kayelaby.npl.co.uk/chemistry/3_2/3_2.html 
            Chemland 21 - http://www.chemicalland21.com/listaz01.htm
            Chemblink http://www.chemblink.com/
            ChemSRC - https://www.chemsrc.com/en/
            LookChem - http://www.lookchem.com/
            Human Metabolome Database - http://www.hmdb.ca/  
            EPA - https://chemview.epa.gov/chemview
                      https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice
            MolBase - http://www.molbase.com/
            PubChem - https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
            Osha - https://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/
            Shriner, et.al, Systematic Identification of Organic Compounds,, manual for identifying organic compounds
             especially with the use of derivatives,
             includes tables of common organic compounds with melting or boiling points
                   and melting points of derivatives in tables at back.               
            https://elqusb.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/kupdf-com_systematic-identification-of-organic-compounds-
                wiley-shrinerhermannmorrillcurtinfuson.pdf
    2. Tabulation + MSDS
            Acros, Fisher - https://www.fishersci.com/us/en/brands/I9C8LQ1I/acros-organics.html
            Alpha Chemical  - https://www.alfa.com/en/chemicals/
            ChemExper Chem. Directory -  http://www.chemexper.com/ 
            Chemidplus -  https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/    https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp
            Chemindex - http://ccinfoweb.ccohs.ca/chemindex/search.html
            Chemspider - http://www.chemspider.com/
                                http://www.chemspider.com/SimpleSearch.aspx
            EMD Chemicals - http://www.emdmillipore.com/US/en/documents/Z.qb.qB.tecAAAFDDJUsznLq,nav
            TCI America - http://www.tcichemicals.com/en/us/support-download/brochure/catalog.html  
            Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_chemical_formulas
                             https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inorganic_compounds
            Chemical Book - http://www.chemicalbook.com/     
    3.  MSDS or SDS 
             Aldrich, Sigma,- hhttps://www.sigmaaldrich.com/united-states.html
            MSDS Solutions - http://www.msds.com/ 
            Vermont Safety Information Resources, Inc. - http://hazard.com/msds/ 
            MSDSprovider - http://www.msdsprovider.com/  
            MSDS online - https://www.msdsonline.com/     
            MSDS digital - https://www.msdsdigital.com/msds-database
            Fisher - https://www.fishersci.com/us/en/catalog/search/sdshome.html
            EHSO - http://ehso.com/msds-sds.php 

Appendix B.  Solvent Properties
        http://murov.info/orgsolvents.htm     http://murov.info/orgsolvsort.htm
        https://www.organicdivision.org/ama/orig/organic_solvents.html  
        http://www.stenutz.eu/chem/
        http://www.wiredchemist.com/chemistry/data/physical_character_solvents.html 
        https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/OrgPage/solvent.htm
        https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/chemistry/stockroom-reagents/learning-center/technical-library/solvent-properties.html
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvent
        https://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/williams/Solvent%20properties.pdf
        Knovel Critical Tables (If using Explorer, it must be newest version)
                  (21824 compounds in sortable tables) - login required  -  initial registration or login:
                  https://app.knovel.com/web/register.v , already registered login:  https://app.knovel.com/web/login.v ,
                  click on or copy and paste: 
                  https://app.knovel.com/web/view/itable/show.v/rcid:kpKCTE000X/cid:kt002VLY34/viewerType:itble/
                    To filter the listing, click on the triangle following the desirred parameter, select filter
                    and then enter the limits of the desired parameter (<, > or =) and hit enter.
        ChemSynthesis - https://www.chemsynthesis.com/
        nmr of deuterated solvents 
            http://www.wiredchemist.com/chemistry/data/common_nmr_solvents.html 
            http://www2.chem.umd.edu/nmr/reference/isotope_solvent.pdf 

 

Appendix C.  

  1.  Search for Compounds from Properties
        Aldrich - hhttp://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/search/substructure/OldSubstructureSearchPage
                    accepts - formula, structure, molecular mass, mp, bp, density
        ChemExper Chem Directory - http://www.chemexper.com/advanced_search.shtml
                    accepts - formula, structure, molecular mass, bp, mp, refractive index, density, ir, nmr    
        ChemNet Data Base   http://poc.chemnetbase.com/faces/chemical/ChemicalSearch.xhtml   
                    accepts formula, melting point, boiling point
        Chemspider - http://www.chemspider.com/FullSearch.aspx
                    accepts - formula, molecular mass 
        Melting point and molecular mass search:  https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/
                    accepts -  formula, mp, bp
        Murov - http://murov.info/orgcmpds.htm
                    search by molecular mass, bp, mp, density, refractiive index
        Organic Chemistry Data Base - http://www.colby.edu/chemistry/cmp/cmp.html    
                    accepts - formula, molecular mass, mp, bp, density, refractive index, ir, ms
        NIMC site - http://sdbs.db.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/cre_index.cgi?lang=eng
                    accepts - formula, molecular mass, ir, nmr, ms 
        Polymers - http://www.matweb.com/search/PropertySearch.aspx
        Knovel Critical Tables (If using Explorer, it must be newest version)
                  (21824 compounds in sortable tables) - login required  -  initial registration or login:
                    https://app.knovel.com/web/register.v , already registered login:  https://app.knovel.com/web/login.v ,
                  click on or copy and paste:
                   https://app.knovel.com/web/view/itable/show.v/rcid:kpKCTE000X/cid:kt002VLXT1/viewerType:itble/
                       To filter the listing, click on the triangle following the desirred parameter, select filter
                       and then enter the limits of the desired parameter (<, > or =) and hit enter.
                   (7274 Compounds in sortable tables) -
                    https://app.knovel.com/web/view/itable/show.v/rcid:kpKS000009/cid:kt00395F16/viewerType:itble/

 

Appendix D.  Spectra of Substances

        1. IR - Liquid or Solution
            NIMC site - http://sdbs.db.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/cre_index.cgi 
            NIST site - http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/ 
            PSLC -  http://pslc.uwsp.edu/
            Aldrich, Sigma - https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/united-states.html
            Gasmet - https://www.gasmet.com/de/products/tools/spectrum-library/   
       2. IR - Gas Phase
            NIST -  http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/ 
            Gasmet - https://www.gasmet.com/de/products/tools/spectrum-library/
       3.. HNMR - Experimental 
            NIMC site - http://sdbs.db.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/cre_index.cgi?lang=eng
            PSLC -  http://pslc.uwsp.edu/
            Aldrich, Sigma - https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/united-states.html              
            Solvents - http://www2.chem.umd.edu/nmr/reference/isotope_solvent.pdf
            Deuterated solvents - http://www.wiredchemist.com/chemistry/data/common_nmr_solvents.html 
             bioorganics - http://mmcd.nmrfam.wisc.edu/mmcdbrowse.html
        4. HNMR - Calculated
            ChemExper Chem Directory -  http://www.chemexper.com/ 
            nmrdb - http://www.nmrdb.org/ 
        5. ¹³CNMR - Experimental
            NIMC site - http://sdbs.db.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/cre_index.cgi?lang=eng
            PSLC -  http://pslc.uwsp.edu/
        6. Mass
            NIMC site - http://sdbs.db.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/cre_index.cgi?lang=eng
            PSLC -  http://pslc.uwsp.edu/          
            Pherobase - http://www.pherobase.com/database/compound/compounds-index.php 
            human metabolites - http://www.hmdb.ca/
        7. UV-Vis
            NIST site - http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/ 
            OMLC - http://omlc.org/spectra/PhotochemCAD/html/alpha.html
       8. Bibliography - http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/spectra.html
       9. Polymer spectra - http://pslc.uwsp.edu/ 
     10.  Photophysical properties of organic compounds - http://murov.info/photophys.htm 

 

Appendix E.  Links to Information about metal alloys

https://nickelinstitute.org/media/1771/propertiesofsomemetalsandalloys_297_.pdf

https://www.cnclathing.com/guide/metal-strength-chart-mechanical-properties-chart-of-different-metal-grades-and-alloys-cnclathing

https://www.weldinghandbook.com/types-of-metals/

https://www.machinemfg.com/metal-mechanical-properties-chart/

http://www.matweb.com/

http://www.istl.org/02-spring/internet.html

http://dol1.eng.sunysb.edu/other.html

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/library-skills/resource-guides-by-subject/engineering-and-materials-science/useful-websites/

Appendix F.  Solutions to Problems

III-A

density >20 g/cm3/strong>	melting point >3000 K	boiling point 0 to 90 K	electrical conductivity >0.37x106  cm-1 W--1
Np, Re, Pt, Ir, Os	C/td>	He	Ag, Cu, Au, Al
Re	W	H2	Cu
Pt	Re	Ne	AAu
Ir	Os	N2	Al
Os	Ta	F2
		Ar
		Osub>2  (90.2K)

III-B-1

Element	density (g/cm3)	m.p. (oC)	hardness (Vickers)	Modulus of elasticity (GPa)	electrical resistivity (x106 ohm cm)	cost ($/kg)
aluminum	2.699	660.4	15	68.0	2.7	1.79
iron	7.87	1535	150	200	8.9	0.42
titanium	4.50	1660	60	116	55	11.7

 

III-B-1-a.  Low density, relatively low cost, very good electrical conductivity,

III-B-1-b.  The density of titanium is much lower than the density of iron but titanium is stronger than aluminum.  Unfortunately, though common in the earth's crust, titanium is very expensive to refine.  Another very important property of titanium is that its properties have a low temperature sensitivity. Also, unlike iron, aluminum and titanium are resistant to corrosion. 

III-B-2.

wwater absorption (%	Vical softening point (oC)	visible transmission (%)
0.40	95	91

III-B-3-a  Arkema Plexiglas HT121 Acrylic, Rohm Plexiglas GS 249 Cast Acrylic

 

III-B-4.  Fill in desired properties and then use the matweb sites to search for materials that fit the criteria.

item/td>	properties desired	best materials	image
pots and pans enter "pots pans"	thermal cond., cost, toxicity, tensile strength, melting point	stainless steel, copper, aluminum, carbon steel, cast iron, stoneware
friendship ring enter "jewelry"	luster, cost, reactivity	stainless steel, gold, ceramics, silver, titanium or tungsten
hammer head enter "hammer"	density, hardness, tensile strength, cost	high carbon, heat-treated steel, fiberglass

 

C.  Polymers

III-C.

item	properties desired	possible plastics	image
2 L bottle enter "soda bottle"	high visible transmission, low water, absorption, moderate melting or softening temperature, strong, cost	PET, PE, polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic
frying pan coating enter "nonstick"	mmelting point, toxicity, cost	PTFE (teflon)
telephone casebr /> enter "telephone"	strength, cost	ABS, PBT
food storage bags enter "food bags"	strength, transparency, water absorption, biodegradability, cost, inert	PRT, PE, PVDC
tires enter "rubber"	tensile strength, hardness, elongation, modulus	Rubber

 

D. Material selection - Metals and/or Metal Alloys

(III-D)

item	properties desired	possible metal and metal alloys	image
bicycle frame enter "bicycle", metal	tensile strength, elongation, cost, density, resistance to oxidation	titanium, aluminum, steel
ssolder enter "solder", mp	low melting point, low elec/span>trical resistivity, (high electrical conductivity), lead-free	silver, tin alloys Tin (usually the main element), Silver, Copper, Antimony, Bismuth, Cobalt, Nickel, Indium, Zinc, Germanium, and rare earth elements
electrical wire enter "wire" electrical resistivity from 1E-06 To 1.8E-06 ohm-cm	electrical resistivity, melting point, cost, malleability, strength	copper, aluminum
nails	strength, resistance to oxidation, cost	iron, steel

 

E.  Compounds (evaluation of commercial products)

Application	desirable properties	selected common ingredients	Cost ($/L)	LD50	best choice
1.  nail polish remover	low toxicity, low dermatologic toxicity, low cost, easy disposal, liquid or soluble in water of alcohol	acetone ethyl acetate isopropyl alcohol	72 87 69	5,800 10,200 5,840
2.  antifreeze	low mp, low toxicity, non-corrosive, low vapor pressure, low cost	ethylene glycol propylene glycol glycerol	98 180 183	7,712 22,000 27,200
3.  insect repellant	low toxicity, very low dermatologic toxicity, repels insets, low cost,	DEET picaridin  IR3535 oil of lemon eucalyptus	80 350 100 700	1,892 4,743 14,000 2,480
4.  antacids	very low toxicity, high efficiency, low cost	calcium carbonate sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide aluminum hydroxide,	223 62 309 100	6,450 8,500 >2,000
5.  analgesics	low toxicity, ability to decrease pain, long lasting	acetylsalicylic acid acetaminophen ibuprofen naproxen	120 268 6,000 16,800	1,500 1,944 1,600 534
6.  sunscreen	low toxicity, very low dermatologic toxicity, opaque in near UV, low cost	zinc oxide titanium oxide avobenzone oxybenzone	128 75 74,000 77,000	>2,000 >10,000 >16,000 >12,800
7.  food coloring (blue)	low toxicity, non-carcinogenic, low cost, right absorption spectrum	Blue No. 1 (brilliant blue) Blue No. 2 (indigotine)	678,000 1,590	>1,900 2000
8.  chemicals of life

 

 

 

Note 1.  During the preparation of this site, three interesting topics were encountered that did not seem to have adequate discussion during a limited Internet search.

1.  Textbooks claim that except for hydrogen, isotopes have very similar properties but a comparison of physical and chemical properties of isotopes could not be located.  Rate effects and nuclear effects are well documented but melting points and other physical properties of isotopes could not be found (e.g., U-235 and U-238).

2.  The drug Austedo is used for the treatment of Huntington's disease.  It contains deuterium atoms that apparently improve its efficacy.  Although deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen, its properties are different enough that it could be considered to be a separate element but the best definitions of elements include the statement that elements have the same number of protons.  This is a little like the demotion of Pluto from planet to dwarf planet. 

3.  Should there be a correlation between toxicity and color (visible region)? 

4.  A new discovery of a very strong plastic shows that the field of material science is still in its early stages and has extensive potential  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04296-3 ,
http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/materials/2dpa-1-polymer-10518.html

 

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