Materials Performance: Durability

Understanding Durability

Durability refers to a material’s ability to withstand wear, pressure, or damage, helping prolong its functional life.
It is influenced by a number of factors, including the material’s strength, hardness, toughness, and ability to resist environmental impacts.
A crucial measure of performance in various sectors, considering the wear, tear and operational demands materials will face.

Strength is the inherent ability of a material to resist deformation under stress. Materials with high strength are typically more durable.
Hardness depicts a material’s resistance to surface indentation or abrasion. Greater hardness usually corresponds with increased durability.
Toughness signifies a material’s capacity to absorb energy and plastically deform without fracturing. Tough materials can endure high levels of kinetic energy, potentially making them more durable.
Environmental Resistance constitutes a material’s resilience to environmental conditions, such as moisture, temperature, and corrosive substances. Higher resistance often equates to better durability.

Metals such as stainless steel and aluminium alloys are often chosen for their notable durability, able to withstand high levels of stress, resist wear and tear and endure diverse environmental conditions.
Ceramics like porcelain and alumina, while brittle, can be remarkably durable, resisting wear, high temperatures and corrosive environments.
Polymers, such as Teflon and polyethylene, offer durability in terms of chemical resistance and impact strength. However, they can be less durable under high temperatures compared to metals and ceramics.

Durability is a key property for materials used in construction, where long-term structural integrity and resistance to environmental conditions are essential.
In the automotive industry, durable materials are critical to ensuring the longevity and safety of vehicles due to exposure to various operational stresses and environmental impacts.
Equipment and appliances exposed to constant use, such as kitchenware, electronics and tools, all benefit from the use of durable materials to withstand repeated usage and prolong their service life.