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Al. Al. Berlin

Natural and Artificial Constructional Materials

Abstract

Materials used by man in his activities have always been playing an important and even decisive role in the development of the civilization. It is not accidental that they gave names to the whole historical epochs: Stone, Bronze, Iron Age... Modern epoch can be called the Polymer Age. In the report attempt to show that the man has taken from the nature and that he contrived himself; where he has overtaken it and began to make better and where still there are resources for search, and also that the nature for the present makes better the man. The man is ahead of the nature in many fields relating to creation of new materials. He creates number metals and alloys resistant to various loads. We use oil as a raw material and synthesize a great number of organic polymers and high-strength fibers. Processing of various materials, especially polymeric, developed by the man have huge advantages than natural one. We created composites with record strength and heat-resistance. At the same time, there is a considerable lag in the development of gradient structures. Plastic ceramics is still a dream of the mankind. Inorganic polymers, inorganic-organic composite materials (widespread in the nature) seem to be our future. They shall be easy to process, shall have thermal, chemical and water resistance. Finally, we need a material, which could be used instead of oil and gas for synthesis of organic polymers and composites - it could be natural polysaccharides, cellulose, chitin, and proteins. It is necessary to develop new polymer processing methods that have less environmental impact. One more important problem (especially from ecological point of view) is reprocessing of constructional materials and subsequent use of such products.
Moscow University Chemistry Bulletin.
2005, Vol. 46, No. 3, P. 131
   

Copyright (C) Chemistry Dept., Moscow State University, 2002
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