Composite Materials – Definition and Types

Composite Material

Firstly composite materials are something that is composed of a minimum of two materials. It combines to serve properties superior to the properties of the individual constituents.

Many of the component materials and different processes that we can use for making composites versatile and efficient at an extreme level.

Definition of Composite Material

Two or more materials make up a composite material with significantly different chemical or physical properties when they combine. As a result, it produces material different characteristics from the individual components.

The individual components remain separate and distinct with the final structure, differentiating the composites from the mixtures and the solid solutions as well.

It prefers new material for many reasons. Some usual examples consist of materials which are that are lighter, stronger or less expensive while comparing it with traditional materials.

More recently, researchers are now actively including actuation, sensing, computation and last but not the least communications in the composites. These are the robotic materials.

Typical Composite Materials Consist of

• Masonry and the reinforced concrete.
• Composite wood, for example, Ply Wood.
• Reinforced plastics, for example, fiberglass
• Ceramic matrix composites.
• Metal matrix composites.
• Various other advanced composite materials.

Application of Composite Materials

These materials basically come in use for the construction of the bridges, buildings, and many other structures.

Such as swimming pool panels, boat hulls, bodies of some racing cars, stalls of the shower, bathtubs, cultured marble sinks, storage tanks, imitation granites, and countertops.

The best examples perform routinely on the spacecraft and the aircraft in a demanding environment.

Growth in the Composite Industry

It is an exciting industry for working because of the new materials, applications, and processes develop every time. Likewise using the hybrid virgin and fibres after recycling results in manufacturing it faster and with more automation.

The global level market of the composite materials is growing at a rate of about 5 percent per year. On the other hand, the demand for carbon fibre is growing at a rate of 12 percent per year approx. Moreover, around 1500 British companies are also participating in this growth.

Types of Composite Materials

The classification of the composite materials depends on the type of reinforcement they are using. These reinforcements are set into a matrix that holds them together.

This reinforcement comes in use for strengthening the composite. For example, in a brick of mud. The mud is the matrix and therefore the reinforcement is the straw.

A common type of composite includes random-fiber or short fibre reinforcement, continuous fibre or the long fibre reinforcement, particulate reinforcement, filler reinforcement, and the flake reinforcement.

Mud bricks for Construction

These are the examples of composite materials by the ancient humans in the early times. A brick made from only the mud is sturdy and resistant to the compression, but it has less flexibility, and it breaks when bent.

Fibreglass

Small glass shards make it up and resin and other components hold it together. It is important for making body kits in the automobile industries. The body shell of the car is made of different layers of fibre glasses. It is also a less expensive alternative when we compare it to other materials.

Natural composites

Composites that are easily found in nature are natural composites. For example, wood. These fibres are found in cotton and thread, but the wood is much tougher because of the bonding power that it gets from the lignin. Many types of large rocks also fall under the category of natural composites.

Solved Question for You

Ques. Classification of the composite is done on the basis of:

(A). Matrix type.
(B). Reinforcement constituent.
(C). Matrix type & Reinforcement constituent.
(D). none of the mentioned.

Ans. (C). Matrix type & Reinforcement constituent.