PVC pipes chemically engineered for corrosion resistance and enhanced durability are used in this Antarctica drilling project to ship samples of the earth’s core to labs worldwide for testing. Photo by Betty Trummel, ANDRILL Geological Drilling Program.
Following the launch of the Space Age in the late 1950s, chemical engineers played an important role in making safe, successful space exploration a reality.
To withstand the rigors of space travel, highly specialized, high-performance materials had to be developed. Demanding conditions in extreme environments necessitated the use of ever-more-advanced materials. New ways of manipulating chemistry and internal structures had to be devised in order to create materials able to survive in
- Extremely hot or cold temperatures,
- Severely corrosive environments, and
- Highly erosive and high-friction conditions.
These materials also had to be able to withstand enormous loads without bending or deforming. Ultralight weight had to be combined with such superior mechanical properties as strength and fatigue and fracture resistance.
Chemical engineers have strived to reach these goals, and their efforts have resulted in the ongoing realization of numerous high-performance plastics, ceramics, and metals. Many of the imaginative materials originally developed for space programs have now found their way into industrial and consumer applications where high performance is in demand.
Plastics
High-performance plastics are replacing more traditional materials for use in hostile environments. These advanced plastics possess such characteristics as exceptional strength, light weight, temperature resistance (in excess of 160oC), chemical resistance, and dimensional stability. They are also relatively easy to process, can be colored or transparent, and can be molded to create desirable structures.
Ceramics
Today high-performance ceramics are found in industrial equipment where they are likely to encounter extreme temperatures, harsh operating conditions, and excessive abrasion. This equipment includes pump components, cutting tools and extrusion dies, bearings and seals, high-temperature filters and membranes, as well as sensors, electronic components, and automotive engine parts. Advanced ceramics exhibit improved mechanical strength and greater resistance to fracture and chipping and in some cases can be fired at considerably lower temperatures, which provides cost savings.
Metals
Advanced metal alloys based on aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, which provide greater structural strength at reduced weight, are used for aircraft and spacecraft applications as well as prosthetics and artificial joints. Stainless steel is found in industrial processing equipment and surgical instruments that must resist corrosion under harsh operating conditions.
Chemical engineers are also pioneering significant advances in metal matrix composites, which are combinations of one or more nonferrous metals with carbon particles or ceramics dispersed throughout the metal matrix. These new materials exhibit improved structural strength, wear resistance, and thermal conductivity.
Copyright © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Chemical Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.