The state of development of composite materials is quite unique in the scientific world with simultaneous advances being made both in their usage and basic understanding. The complexity and high technology required in manufacturing structural parts with these materials as well as the need for fundamental description of their processing and property characteristics necessitates a close col laboration between industrial and academic researchers. This col laboration has become significant not only in solving specific tech nical problems, but in providing a much needed supply of scientists with training and background focused on anticipated demand for further advances in composite usage. The fact that the transportation industry with its current international character has a vital interest in composite materials for weight savings applications has provided a strong incentive for extending these developments beyond national boundaries. An excel lent example of an established international venture is the building of the new generation commercial aircraft by the Boeing Company with composite parts manufactured by Aerita1ia in Italy. Accordingly, we organized a Joint U. S. -Italy Symposium on Composite Materials in Italy which was successfully held on June 15-19, 1981, under the primary sponsorship of NSF in the U. S. A. and CNR in Italy. The strong support we also received from industrial co-sponsors, both from Italy and the U. S. A. , as well as our respective academic insti tutions gave us confidence that we were addressing a timely and important area in Science and Engineering with a unique concept.

The state of development of composite materials is quite unique in the scientific world with simultaneous advances being made both in their usage and basic understanding. The complexity and high technology required in manufacturing structural parts with these materials as well as the need for fundamental description of their processing and property characteristics necessitates a close col laboration between industrial and academic researchers. This col laboration has become significant not only in solving specific tech nical problems, but in providing a much needed supply of scientists with training and background focused on anticipated demand for further advances in composite usage. The fact that the transportation industry with its current international character has a vital interest in composite materials for weight savings applications has provided a strong incentive for extending these developments beyond national boundaries. An excel lent example of an established international venture is the building of the new generation commercial aircraft by the Boeing Company with composite parts manufactured by Aerita1ia in Italy. Accordingly, we organized a Joint U. S. -Italy Symposium on Composite Materials in Italy which was successfully held on June 15-19, 1981, under the primary sponsorship of NSF in the U. S. A. and CNR in Italy. The strong support we also received from industrial co-sponsors, both from Italy and the U. S. A. , as well as our respective academic insti tutions gave us confidence that we were addressing a timely and important area in Science and Engineering with a unique concept.

Given such properties as low density and high strength, polymer matrix composites have become a widely used material in the aerospace and other industries. Polymer matrix composites and technology provides a helpful overview of these materials, their processing and performance.After an introductory chapter, part one reviews the main reinforcement and matrix materials used as well as the nature of the interface between them. Part two discusses forming and molding technologies for polymer matrix composites. The final part of the book covers key aspects of performance, including tensile, compression, shear and bending properties as well as impact, fatigue and creep behaviour.Polymer matrix composites and technology provides both students and those in industry with a valuable introduction to and overview of this important class of materials. - Provides a helpful overview of these materials, their processing and performance incorporating naming and classification of composite materials - Reviews the main reinforcement and matrix materials used as well as the nature of the interface between them including damage mechanisms - Discusses forming and molding technologies for polymer matrix composites outlining various techniques and technologies

This book deals with all aspects of advanced composite materials; what they are, where they are used, how they are made, their properties, how they are designed and analyzed, and how they perform in-service. It covers both continuous and discontinuous fiber composites fabricated from polymer, metal, and ceramic matrices, with an emphasis on continuous fiber polymer matrix composites.

New technologies demand new materials. Polymer composites, with their wide range of possible fillers and polymers, open the way to an enormous range of materials with differing chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. The ultimate goal of polymer composite research is to formulate procedures that will lead to the design of composites with preset, i.e. specified, properties. Based on many years' experience in the field, the authors prepare the way towards just such a design procedure. The key element is the analysis and classification of the state of the filler-polymer interfaces from the point of view of their acid-base adsorption interactions. These interfacial phenomena play a pivotal role in determining overall properties of the composite: its rheological behaviour, its structural properties, catalytic effects in polymerization and polycondensation, and other technological characteristics. The book discusses and evaluates the extensive previous research scattered throughout the literature in Eastern Europe and the West, presents numerous experimental studies, and sets new benchmarks for the analysis of polymer composites. The book is required for researchers wanting to keep abreast of the progress in the burgeoning fields of polymer analysis and design.

Military use of advanced polymer matrix composites (PMC)â€"consisting of a resin matrix reinforced by high-performance carbon or organic fibersâ€"while extensive, accounts for less that 10 percent of the domestic market. Nevertheless, advanced composites are expected to play an even greater role in future military systems, and DOD will continue to require access to reliable sources of affordable, high-performance fibers including commercial materials and manufacturing processes. As a result of these forecasts, DOD requested the NRC to assess the challenges and opportunities associated with advanced PMCs with emphasis on high-performance fibers. This report provides an assessment of fiber technology and industries, a discussion of R&D opportunities for DOD, and recommendations about accelerating technology transition, reducing costs, and improving understanding of design methodology and promising technologies.

Composite materials are used as substitutions of metals/traditional materials in aerospace, automotive, civil, mechanical and other industries. The present book collects the current knowledge and recent developments in the characterization and application of composite materials. To this purpose the volume describes the outstanding properties of this class of advanced material which recommend it for various industrial applications.

This book, consisting of 21 articles, including three review papers, written by research groups of experts in the field, considers recent research on reinforced polymer composites. Most of them relate to the fiber-reinforced polymer composites, which are a real hot topic in the field. Depending on the reinforcing fiber nature, such composites are divided into synthetic and natural fiber-reinforced ones. Synthetic fibers, such as carbon, glass, or basalt, provide more stiffness, while natural fibers, such as jute, flax, bamboo, kenaf, and others, are inexpensive and biodegradable, making them environmentally friendly. To acquire the benefits of design flexibility and recycling possibilities, natural reinforcers can be hybridized with small amounts of synthetic fibers to make them more desirable for technical applications. Elaborated composites have great potential as structural materials in automotive, marine and aerospace application, as fire resistant concrete, in bridge systems, as mechanical gear pair, as biomedical materials for dentistry and orthopedic application and tissue engineering, as well as functional materials such as proton-exchange membranes, biodegradable superabsorbent resins and polymer electrolytes.

Polymer matrix composites are finding increasing number of applications due to their high weight-saving potential as well as unique characteristics, such as high strength-to-density ratio, fatigue resistance, high damping factor, and freedom from corrosion. While many textbooks are available on the mechanics of polymer matrix composites, few cover their processing. Processing of Polymer Matrix Composites fills this gap. The book focuses on the major manufacturing processes used for polymer matrix composites and describes process details, process parameters and their effects on properties and process-induced defects, and analytical and experimental methods used for understanding process conditions. The book describes fibers, thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers, and interface characteristics that are important from the standpoint of both design and processing. It also emphasizes the applications of process fundamentals for both continuous fiber and short fiber polymer matrix composites. In addition the book considers quality inspection methods, tooling, and manufacturing costs and environmental and safety issues.