Lumber (various types) Materials

Balsa wood, despite its light weight, is surprisingly strong for its density, making it useful in model airplanes and other lightweight applications. elaborate

Smart Textiles Materials

Smart textiles can be embedded with sensors to monitor vital signs, allowing for real-time health tracking in clothing. elaborate

Adhesives/Sealants Materials

The adhesive used on postage stamps is often a water-activated pressure-sensitive adhesive, meaning it needs moisture to activate its sticky properties. elaborate

Sandpaper (various grits) Materials

The grit number on sandpaper indicates the number of abrasive particles per square inch – a higher grit number means finer particles and a smoother finish. elaborate

Paints/Stains Materials

The first paints were made from natural pigments like crushed minerals and plant extracts, thousands of years before synthetic pigments were invented. elaborate

Tiles (various types) Materials

Ceramic tiles were used in ancient Mesopotamia over 5,000 years ago, predating many other common building materials. elaborate

Filament for 3d printing Materials

PLA filament is often made from corn starch, making it a partially bio-based and renewable material. elaborate

Biodegradables Materials

Some biodegradable plastics can actually take hundreds, even thousands of years to fully decompose under typical environmental conditions, despite their marketing. elaborate

Concrete/Mortar Materials

Concrete is stronger in compression than in tension. This is why rebar (steel reinforcement) is used in reinforced concrete structures. elaborate

Plywood/OSB Materials

Plywood and OSB are both engineered wood products, but plywood's layers are typically wood veneer, while OSB uses wood flakes or strands. elaborate

Epoxy resins Materials

Epoxy resins are incredibly strong and can even be used to repair cracked bones. elaborate

Hardware (screws, nails, bolts) Materials

The head of a screw is designed not only to provide a grip for a screwdriver, but also to distribute the clamping force evenly to prevent damage to the material being fastened. elaborate

Advanced Composites Materials

Advanced composites, like those used in Formula 1 cars, can be stronger than steel but significantly lighter, allowing for increased speed and fuel efficiency. elaborate

Plumbing Pipes/Fittings Materials

Flexible plumbing pipes, like PEX, are often preferred over rigid pipes because they're less likely to break during earthquakes. elaborate

Electrical Wire/Components Materials

The insulating material on electrical wire often contains fire retardants to help prevent the spread of flames in case of a short circuit. elaborate

Materials Informatics Materials

Materials Informatics can predict the properties of new materials without needing to synthesize and test them all physically, saving significant time and resources. elaborate

Metal Stock (steel, aluminum) Materials

The price of steel and aluminum is heavily influenced by global events, like wars or major infrastructure projects, often fluctuating wildly in short periods. elaborate

Biomaterials Materials

Biomaterials can be derived from natural sources like collagen (from animal tissues) or synthetic sources like polymers. elaborate