Understanding Common Materials: Properties and Applications

Natural Materials

Plant-Based Materials

• Paper

  Paper consists of sheets of cellulose fiber. It is a dense, soft material primarily used for books and is currently recycled.

• Wood

  Wood is a composite of cellulose and lignin, obtained from tree trunks. It is lightweight and quite resistant. While a renewable resource and recyclable into paper, excessive logging prevents forest renewal, leading to deforestation. Wood is widely used in manufacturing furniture, doors, siding, and for walls and floors.

• Textile Fibers

  • Cotton

    The most important textile fiber, cotton is obtained from filaments within the seed capsules of the cotton plant. It produces lightweight, durable, and breathable fabrics suitable for warm climates.

  • Linen

    Obtained from flax stem strands, linen's cellulose microfibers are arranged unidirectionally, forming a tubular structure with low elasticity but high material resistance.

  • Jute

    Obtained from plants in tropical wet regions, jute contains a high proportion of lignin, giving it a harsh texture. It is commonly used for sacks and ropes.

  • Hemp

    Fiber obtained from the bark of hemp stems, hemp is slightly less harsh than jute and used for manufacturing ropes and cables.

Animal-Based Materials

• Wool

  Obtained primarily from sheep, wool is very light and elastic, possessing significant thermal insulation properties. It is used for cold-weather garments and insulation.

• Silk

  Produced by silkworms, silk fibers are very thin, long, shiny, and soft. However, silk fabric tends to degrade easily and is very expensive, which limits its widespread use.

• Leather

  Composed of collagen fibers from animal skin, leather is a resistant material with varying degrees of hardness and stiffness. It is commonly used for items like portfolios.

Polymers

A polymer is a macromolecule composed of long chains, where a repeating lower molecular unit, known as a monomer, is present. The properties of a polymer depend on the monomer from which it is obtained and its spatial structure, which can be straight chain, ring, or more complex arrangements.