Eco-material selection. Shock absorber.

[ppbuzz]

As part of an assignment I have to redisign a product using an eco-material.

I choose phone covers. From the silicone, rubber or plastic ones I intend to redisign using bamboo or cork.

I would like to have some insight on the matter, what are the main properties i should be looking for (e.g. shock absorption) and what should i plot (using a material selection software) to justify my choice. For example would a graph of young modulus Vs price be of interest?

Also any ideas on how bamboo and cork extraction and manufacture works?

What are the main parametres that make my choice eco compatible (e.g. embodied energy, end of life etc.).

Thank you for your answer.

 

[enigma]

Personally, I think that phone covers are really designed to keep the phone from getting scratched when they're in a pocket with keys/coins/etc.

I have never heard about someone dropping a phone and having it stop working because the electronics got jostled. It's always been the screen cracking that causes people I have known to need to get a new one, and the phone cover generally doesn't cover the screen.

Anecdotal and just my opinion - I could easily be wrong here.

That said, I would make sure that they wouldn't deform in the heat and humidity of a pocket, make sure they won't crack or split when banged, and make sure they're not too heavy.