A Helpful List Of Materials That Can Withstand Any Condition

We tend to think of strength as only one thing, but actually, it covers several criteria. When we say a material can withstand any condition or is strong, we can mean that the material is tough, complex, or resistant to extremely high and low temperatures. Being able to withstand any condition can mean many things. 

Human progress would not be possible without the use of several natural and artificial materials. Let's explore some of these.

High-Performance Plastics

Plastics have come a long way since their mass use began in the middle of the last century. From relatively weak containers, made mainly to hold food, plastics now underpin every primary industry.

One type, high-performance polyethylene fiber, is said to be five times stronger than steel. Another type, polycarbonate, is virtually impossible to break or shatter. If you need it for an application, UV Polycarbonate Cut-to-Size is available at many outlets. It is a versatile material and has varied uses across multiple industries. 

High-performance plastics can be found in transportation, industrial and engineering applications, electronics, medicine, the military, and aerospace. 

Diamonds are one of the most complex materials known to man. By challenging, we mean it is one of the most scratch-resistant materials on Earth. It will not change form regardless of the pressure applied to it. 

Diamonds have many applications commercially. They are used at the end of industrial drill bits and cutting tools to make quick work of anything they happen to be going through. Such is the power of diamonds.

Interestingly, while diamonds are one of the most complex substances known to man, they aren't the toughest. Tough is another strength criterion that diamonds do not meet. Diamonds can be broken with a hammer and are considered brittle materials, even if you cannot scratch their surface.

Graphene

Graphene is an artificial material that is similar in chemical composition to diamonds. So it's almost as hard, but it is artificial and not naturally occurring like a diamond.

Like diamonds, graphene is composed of carbon. However, it is only one atom thick. This makes it one of the thinnest and lightest materials on Earth. Graphene isn't being widely used at the moment. Still, the scientific community is excited about future material applications, including electronics, clothing, desalinating water, and even creating bionic implants for humans. 

Spider Silk

This other naturally occurring material has something called tensile strength. This means that it is very resistant to breaking when stretched.

Spider silk is so strong that it is more vital than steel threads of the same thickness. This is another material that scientists are excited about potential uses. Spider silk is environmentally friendly. However, no one has replicated the method by which the spiders spin the silk, so production for commercial use is not yet possible.

Should a way be found to do this, spider silk will be expected to replace several other textiles. One of these is kevlar, or the material used to make bulletproof vests. It is also likely that uses will be found for it in parachute and rope making. There may also be surprising medical applications for spider silk as artificial tendons and ligaments and environmentally tight bandages, and surgical thread.

Nickel-Based Superalloy

This is an alloy or mixture of metals that contain nickel as the main component. This stuff is pretty tough. It is hugely rust and heat resistant, so it is used in jet plane engines, for one thing.

Nickel-based superalloys can withstand temperatures of 1,200 degrees centigrade and can keep its structural integrity intact even as it approaches this temperature. It is also very resistant to deforming or warping. It's also a preferred metal because it is easier to weld when compared to other alloys.

Beyond jet engines, it's common to find this metal alloy in combustion chambers, steam turbines, and even nuclear reactors.

Silicon carbide

This material is otherworldly, literally. It was discovered in meteorites. However, scientists have been able to replicate its chemical composition to be available for commercial use.

It is a type of ceramic, almost as hard as a diamond. Unlike a diamond, it is tough and cannot be easily broken. It is also highly heat resistant.

It had been put to various uses, including brake pads, car clutches, electronics, and even bulletproof vests.

Now you know some of the most complex, most challenging, robust, and durable materials on Earth. What's even better is that technological advances mean that new materials are being discovered and added to this list all the time. It makes you wonder what material will be invented next.