Tough, high tensile strength, ductile. Because of low carbon content it can not be hardened and tempered. It must be case hardened.
Ferrous

Can be hardened and tempered. Can be brittle. Retains hardness at high temperatures.
Ferrous

Corrosion resistant, builds a layer of oxide on the surface.
Ferrous

The hardest of the carbon steels. Less ductile, tough and malleable.
Ferrous

Stronger and harder than mild steels. Less ductile, tough and malleable.
Ferrous

Hard, brittle, strong, cheap, self-lubricating. Available in White, grey , malleable form.
Ferrous

Greyish-White, soft, malleable, conductive to heat and electricity, It is corrosion resistant. It can be welded but this is difficult. Needs special processes.
Non ferrous

Ductile, Malleable, Work Hardens. Mixture of one or more metal with one an aluminium.
Non ferrous

Red, tough, ductile, High electrical conductor, corrosion resistant, Can work hard or cold. Needs frequent annealing.
Non ferrous

Very corrosive, yellow in colour, tarnishes very easily. Harder than copper. Good electrical conductor.
Non ferrous

The heaviest common metal. Soft, malleable, bright and shiny when new but quickly oxidizes to a dull grey. Resistant to corrosion.
Non ferrous

A layer of oxide protects it from corrosion, bluish-white, easily worked.
Non ferrous

White and soft, corrosion resistant.
Non ferrous

Wide range of colours. Stiff, hard. Tough at room temperature. Can be used outdoors if suitably stabilised. Light weight. Very good acid and alkali resistance. Particularly good for fabricating. Thermoplastic

Stiff, strong and tough. Scratches easily. Comes in a wide range of colours.
Thermoplastic

Hard, tough, rigid, creep resistant. Good bearing surface. Self-lubricating. Resistant to oil, fuels and chemicals. High melting point. Very resilient. Wear and friction resistant.
Thermoplastic

Good electrical insulator, good heat resistance. Stiff, hard, brittle alone but strong and resilient when laminated. Resistant to ultraviolet light for outside use. Strongly exothermic, this can lead to cracking. Contracts on curing. Thermosetting Plastic

Wide range of colours. Tough. Good chemical resistance. Good electrical insulator. Flexible, soft. Fades unless light stabilised. Attracts dust unless anti-static.
Thermoplastic

Wide range of colours. Fairly stiff and hard. Stiffness and softening point both increase with density. Can be sterilised. Good chemical resistance. High impact and shock resistant. Fades unless light stabilised.
Thermoplastic

Stiff, hard glass clear. Very durable outdoors. Easily machined, cemented and polished. Good electrical insulator. Safe with food. Ten times more impact resistance than glass. Splinters easily. Scratches easily.
Thermoplastic.

It is used in packaging and labelling, in textiles such as carpets and thermal underwear, stationery, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, polymer banknotes. It is resistant to a lot of chemical solvents, acids and bases.
Thermoplastic

can be a thermoplastic or a thermoset. As a thermoplastic it is used for disposable cutlery, CD and DVD cases, plastic models, smoke detector housings, packaging materials, insulation, foam cups