Why Materials Matter? Understanding the Building Blocks of Technology

By Mufaddal Shakir

1/1/20263 min read

Introduction

Every technological revolution in human history has been triggered by materials. Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age—these names themselves show how deeply materials define civilization. Even today, the speed of innovation in AI, renewable energy, aerospace, electric mobility, and healthcare is limited by the materials we have.

This article explores why materials matter, how they enable technological progress, and why understanding the building blocks of matter is critical for the future.

1. Materials as the Foundation of Technology

Every device, structure, and system relies on materials engineered for specific properties. Without advanced materials, many modern technologies simply would not exist.

For example:

Smartphones depend on semiconductor materials, toughened glass, lithium-ion batteries, and polymer casings.
Electric vehicles rely on lightweight composites, nickel-rich cathodes, solid electrolytes, and rare-earth magnets.
Renewable energy systems use high-efficiency photovoltaic materials, corrosion-resistant turbine blades, and thermal-resistant ceramics.

The performance of these systems is not determined by design alone, but by the capabilities and limitations of materials.

2. Why Do Materials Matter?

Materials matter because they:

1. Define performance

A supercomputer is limited by semiconductor materials.
A jet engine is limited by high-temperature alloys.
A wind turbine is limited by composite blade strength.

2. Enable innovation

You cannot build:

a reusable rocket without refractory ceramics
a 500km-range EV without advanced batteries
a foldable phone without flexible materials
a 3D-printed organ without bio-compatible polymers

Innovation = materials + engineering.

3. Improve safety

Aircraft materials must withstand fatigue.
Medical implants must be biocompatible.
Nuclear materials must tolerate radiation.

Safety is fundamentally a materials problem.

4. Boost sustainability

Today, we need:

biodegradable plastics
plant-based composites
energy-efficient materials
recyclable metals

Materials determine whether technology is environmentally friendly.

3. Materials Through the Ages — How They Transformed Society

Stone Age

Tools made from stone and bone enabled survival.

Bronze Age

Bronze tools and weapons led to agriculture, trade, and city formation.

Iron Age

Iron offered strength, enabling machines, infrastructure, and early engineering.

Industrial Revolution

Materials like steel, rubber, and glass fueled factories, trains, bridges, and engines.

Silicon Age

Semiconductors enabled computing, the internet, and modern electronics.

Today

We live in the age of:

carbon fiber
functional polymers
smart materials
nano materials
bio-materials
advanced steels
battery materials

The next breakthroughs—AI materials design, hydrogen economy, quantum computing—depend entirely on new material discoveries.

4. How Materials Determine the Performance of Technologies

a) Strength vs Weight

A modern aircraft uses carbon-fiber composites instead of steel because:

same or higher strength
far lower weight
lower fuel consumption

Similarly, EVs use aluminum, magnesium, and fiber-reinforced plastics to increase range.

b) Electrical Properties

Silicon revolutionized electronics because:

it conducts electricity in a controlled way
it forms perfect crystals
it can be doped
it’s abundant

Future electronics may rely on:

graphene
gallium nitride
organic semiconductors

c) Thermal Properties

Jet engines require superalloys that work at >1,600°C.
Ceramic coatings help them survive extreme temperatures.

d) Chemical Properties

Corrosion-resistant materials protect bridges, pipelines, and ships.
Battery electrodes rely on materials that can undergo reversible chemical reactions.

e) Optical Properties

Lasers, lenses, solar cells, and fiber optics all rely on optical materials with precise refractive properties.

5. Real-World Examples Showing Why Materials Matter

Smartphones

A modern smartphone uses:

Gorilla glass (strength + transparency)
Silicon chips (semiconductor)
Lithium cobalt oxide (battery)
Rare-earth magnets (speakers)
Polymers (lightweight casing)

Without these materials, smartphones would not exist.

Electric Vehicles

EV performance depends on:

Battery materials (anodes, cathodes, electrolytes)
Lightweight composites
Magnetic materials (motors)
Thermal management materials

The efficiency, range, and safety of EVs are materials-science problems.

Spacecraft

Rockets and satellites rely on:

CFRP composites
Heat shields
Titanium alloys
Ceramic tiles
Radiation-resistant materials

Every gram saved increases payload capacity.

Healthcare & Biomaterials

Modern medicine uses:

titanium implants
biodegradable polymers
hydrogels
drug-delivery nanomaterials

Replacing, repairing, or enhancing biological tissue depends heavily on materials.

6. Why Materials Are the Future of Innovation

a) AI and Materials Informatics

Machine learning accelerates discovery of new materials by predicting:

optimal compositions
atomic structures
mechanical properties
thermal stability

This reduces decades of trial-and-error experimentation.

b) Sustainable and Natural Materials

The future demands:

natural fiber composites
bio-based polymers
recyclable plastics
green manufacturing

Materials must evolve to reduce environmental impact.

c) Quantum Materials

Quantum computers require:

superconductors
topological materials
ultra-clean crystal substrates

These next-generation materials will drive the new technological era.

d) Advanced Manufacturing

Techniques like:

3D printing
additive manufacturing of metals
polymer printing
composite layup automation

are enabling complex shapes and customized materials.

Conclusion

Materials matter because they are the building blocks of everything we create. They determine how far technology can go and how sustainable, efficient, and powerful our innovations will be. In essence: