Composites materials can be defined as the blend of two or more materials that combines the best properties of the mixed components, resulting in development of a product that offers enhanced advantages over a single material. In today’s times, composite materials are usually crafted merging structural fiber with plastic and few of the most common and highly optimised and befitting products are carbon fiber, aramid fiber and fiberglass.
Why Use Composite Materials?
As stated above, composite materials provide enhanced benefits in comparison to traditional materials like steel, aluminium, concrete, wood and other metals in the form of improved stiffness, resistance to external factors, lightweight, durability, design flexibility, low thermal conductivity, improved productivity, and so.
Uses of Composite Materials
Owing to the above benefits, it is obvious that using them in application across the industries would provide great advantages to manufacturers and workers pertaining to performance and quality of the end product usage. Some of the common uses of composite materials are:
Composite Materials for Construction Reinforcement
The most common and popular usage of composite materials can be seen in the very basic structure we see around us, our homes and commercial properties. Cement shingles reinforced with fibers are now being used to create roofs that last longer for decades and without any need for maintenance. Fiber doors and flooring have also become common in the present times, which are also cost-effective. Similarly, instead of traditional wood framing, the beams amalgamated with plastics provide more benefits to the structure like reduced termite and rot damage along with enhanced life expectancy.
Composite Materials for Aerospace Applications
The property of lightweight and enhanced durability makes carbon fibers a much more suitable material to use for developing aircraft components. These products are light to fly easily but string enough to withstand pressure and abuse at high altitude along with added benefits of resistance to temperature and corrosion. The composites are also easy to create flexible designs which help engineers in implementing their design plans.
Composite Materials for Sports Equipment
The sports industry too has made a good use of composite materials to create equipment which are lighter, stringer, flexible and durable for the desired result. Some of these equipment include baseball bats, surfboards, skis, golf clubs, rackets, hockey sticks and more.
Apart from these, there are several other industries and applications, composite materials are used in, like automotive components, boats and marine, water pipes, body armour, ballistic protection devices, tool handles, bridges, ladder rails, and more.
