Chemical, mechanical, physical and environmental properties of materials | Matbase: the independent online material selection resource

Matbase: the free and independent online materials properties resource

What is Matbase?

We at Matbase believe material selection starts with the basic outlines of a product idea. There is room for creativity and new concepts can be explored. Along the design and engineering process less feasible ideas are eliminated. Requirements and specifications evolve continuously and become more specific. In this stage more detailed information is needed and a shortlist remains of materials that meet your requirements. The next challenge is to find suppliers that can tailor to your needs and offer the right support to make the final material applications and processing selections. If everything goes according to plan the prototypes will prove the right materials and processes have been selected. With that idea in mind we designed Matbase: we want to offer a material selection tool for every step in the design and engineering process and a place where demand and supply find the perfect match. At that point it is out of our hands and up to you.

Why Matbase?

Easy access – Matbase offers multiple entry points into the largest collection of material properties on the web to date. The database includes physical, mechanical and environmental properties on all major material categories, i.e. ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, polymers, industrial ceramics, wood, glass, composites and fibers, natural and artificial. Compare material properties in a few clicks, browse through material categories or find information on materials simply selecting one or more properties or keywords; Transparent – Matbase uses standard expressions, quantities and units. We only use a materials trade or brand name if no standard is available. We strive to present material properties in a way that they can easily be compared, even when comparing materials from different categories; Independent – Matbase is an indepent initiative. We don't get or accept sponsorship from manufacturers, suppliers or federations. We depend on advertisments and donations from visitors. Our database is based on the Idemat Database from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Anyone is free to contribute. There is a forum where questions on the processing and application of materials can be posted. Thousands of people visit Matbase every day, including specialists from various fields in the business, from all over the world; Inspiring – Matbase has the latest news on materials and design, an overview of events around the world, easy to use guidelines for sustainable design and examples of sustainable applications of materials by others.