COMPOSITE MATERIALS Essay -- Sturctures, Types, Mechanical Propertie

The word composite comes from the latin â€Å"composititus† meaning made up of distinct parts. A composite material is a material composed of two or more distinct materials[1], or constituents, with one constituent acting as the reinforcing phase and the other as the matrix[6]. A composite material is defined by having different macroscopic behaviours, or chemical and physical properties then its constituent materials, and has a distinct interface boundary on the microscopic level[5]. Structure of Composites In a composite material the constituents are arranged generally with the reinforcement phase embedded in the matrix phase. Due to a composite being essentially a mixture between the reinforcement phase and the matrix there is no intermolecular bonding between the two, however, as in the case of fibrous composites, the most mechanically efficient structure is a criss-crossed fibrous lattice suspended in a material matrix. In the case of particulate composites however, the reinforcement phase acts essentially to strengthen the matrix material adding support. Types of Composites Composite materials are usually classified according to the type of their reinforcement phase. The two main types of composites are fibrous composites and particulate composites, which may again be divided further. In fibrous composites the fibres acting as the reinforcement, may be either continuous or chopped, and suspended in a material matrix. In composites in which the reinforcement phase is composed of either chopped or discontinuous fibres, the composite may have an either random or biased orientation. They may be used to make single layer composites or lamina. In particulate composites particles are suspended in a ... ...onent which gives little deflection when acted upon by a given weight is desirable, so a material with maximum ties in tension (E/Ï ) component which gives the least deflection for a given weight is that made of a material with a maximum E/Ï  (ties in tension), E1/2/Ï  (beam in bending) or E1/3/Ï  (plate in bending). As explained in the diagram below.[4] Works Cited 1 - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composite 2-http://composite.about.com/od/aboutcompositesplastics/l/aa060297.htm 3 - http://www.fibersonixx.com/Composites%20101.htm 4 - http://afrodita.rcub.bg.ac.rs/~rzoran/263-276%20from%20Engineering%20Materials%202.pdf 5-http://www.scribd.com/doc/36051965/Intro-to-Composite-Materials 6-DT260-2 BSc in Industrial and Environmental Physics - Mech Properties and Materials- CERAMICS 7-http://www.ehow.com/about_5149655_uses-composite-materials.html COMPOSITE MATERIALS Essay -- Sturctures, Types, Mechanical Propertie The word composite comes from the latin â€Å"composititus† meaning made up of distinct parts. A composite material is a material composed of two or more distinct materials[1], or constituents, with one constituent acting as the reinforcing phase and the other as the matrix[6]. A composite material is defined by having different macroscopic behaviours, or chemical and physical properties then its constituent materials, and has a distinct interface boundary on the microscopic level[5]. Structure of Composites In a composite material the constituents are arranged generally with the reinforcement phase embedded in the matrix phase. Due to a composite being essentially a mixture between the reinforcement phase and the matrix there is no intermolecular bonding between the two, however, as in the case of fibrous composites, the most mechanically efficient structure is a criss-crossed fibrous lattice suspended in a material matrix. In the case of particulate composites however, the reinforcement phase acts essentially to strengthen the matrix material adding support. Types of Composites Composite materials are usually classified according to the type of their reinforcement phase. The two main types of composites are fibrous composites and particulate composites, which may again be divided further. In fibrous composites the fibres acting as the reinforcement, may be either continuous or chopped, and suspended in a material matrix. In composites in which the reinforcement phase is composed of either chopped or discontinuous fibres, the composite may have an either random or biased orientation. They may be used to make single layer composites or lamina. In particulate composites particles are suspended in a ... ...onent which gives little deflection when acted upon by a given weight is desirable, so a material with maximum ties in tension (E/Ï ) component which gives the least deflection for a given weight is that made of a material with a maximum E/Ï  (ties in tension), E1/2/Ï  (beam in bending) or E1/3/Ï  (plate in bending). As explained in the diagram below.[4] Works Cited 1 - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composite 2-http://composite.about.com/od/aboutcompositesplastics/l/aa060297.htm 3 - http://www.fibersonixx.com/Composites%20101.htm 4 - http://afrodita.rcub.bg.ac.rs/~rzoran/263-276%20from%20Engineering%20Materials%202.pdf 5-http://www.scribd.com/doc/36051965/Intro-to-Composite-Materials 6-DT260-2 BSc in Industrial and Environmental Physics - Mech Properties and Materials- CERAMICS 7-http://www.ehow.com/about_5149655_uses-composite-materials.html