Introduction to Composite Materials

The image shows a wood-plastic composite, a type of engineered wood. Credit: VarunRajendran.

Composite materials are made from the combination of two or more different materials on a macroscopic scale to form a material capable of sustaining loads. It should be noted that the products of microscopic mixing of materials, such as alloying, do not belong to the class of composite materials.

## Theory of composite materials

[edit | edit source]

Def. any "engineered material composed of two radically different materials in a tightly bonded matrix and having properties significantly different from either constituent"[1] is called a composite material.

## Classification

[edit | edit source]

Composite materials can be identified to belong to three different categories:

1. Fibrous composites
2. Laminated composites
3. Particulate composites

## Fibrous composites

[edit | edit source]

These composites are made from a matrix material that holds fibers of a different material. Fibers have higher stiffness and strength than a bulk object made of the same material because internal defects and dislocations are fewer. The material is thus "more perfect" and hence can sustain higher stresses. Some materials are made of whiskers instead of fibers which have even higher properties, however whiskers can cause pneumonic health issues.

## See also

[edit | edit source]

* Chemicals/Materials

## References

[edit | edit source]

1. ↑ SemperBlotto (21 February 2007). "composite material, In: Wiktionary". San Francisco, California: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 2017-01-04. `{{cite web}}`: `|author=` has generic name (help)

## External links

[edit | edit source]

* v
* t
* e

Materials science resources

Activities|

* Electron beam heating
* Nanotechnology

Articles|

* Dominant group/Materials science

Categories|

* Astronomy
* Astronomy Project
* Astrophysics
* Atmospheric science
* History of science
* Materials science
* Metallurgy
* Physics
* Sciences
* Technology

Courses|

* Amateur astronomy
* Introduction to Composite Materials
* Principles of radiation astronomy

Glossaries|

Lectures|

* Alloys
* Balloons for astronomy
* Ceramics
* Composites
* Crystal growth
* Diamond
* Dielectrics
* Electrochemical capacitors
* Electron beam heating
* Fibers
* Glasses
* Human teeth
* Lofting technology
* Materials science
* Metallurgy
* Piezoelectrics
* Plastics
* Precious metals
* Properties of matter
* Radiation detectors
* Radiation satellites
* Rocks
* Sand
* Semiconductors
* Sounding rockets for astronomy
* Steel
* Stone
* Superconductors
* Wood

Lessons|

Original research|

* Ice core brittle zone
* Repellor vehicle

Problem sets|

* Energy phantoms
* Radiation dosage

Projects|

* Early telescope
* Repellor vehicle

Quizzes|

* Astronomical observatories/Quiz
* Balloons for astronomy/Quiz
* Early telescope/Quiz
* Lofting technology/Quiz
* Radiation detectors/Quiz
* Radiation satellites/Quiz
* Radiation telescopes/Quiz
* Sounding rockets for astronomy/Quiz

Schools|

* Chemistry
* Construction
* Engineering
* Materials Science and Engineering

Topics|

* Amateur astronomy
* Astronomy
* Astrophysics
* Electron microscopy
* Geophysics
* Materials science
* Materials science and engineering
* Metallurgical engineering
* Nanoscience
* Nanotechnology
* Nuclear physics
* Particle physics

Learn more about Composite Materials

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template