In my August 2021 column, I introduced the composites building block approach as a step-by-step series of mechanical tests of increasing complexity, coupled with analyses performed at each step, that ...

Composites are materials composed of at least two distinct phases (for example carbon fibers in a polymer matrix) in a defined geometric relationship, which are constructed in such a manner that the ...

Laminated fiber-reinforced composite materials are being used in more and more engineering applications. These materials have excellent strength-to-weight ratios and the manufacturing processes that ...

Composite materials are engineered by fusing different materials, typically consisting of a matrix (a polymer, metal, or ceramic) and a reinforcement (such as fibers, particles, or flakes) that ...

Life cycle assessments (LCA) are one tool OEMs, fabricators and suppliers can use to understand – and improve – the environmental impact of composite parts and materials. Examples shown include an LCA ...

Composites have been produced for millennia. The first known use of them dates back to around 3400 BC when the Mesopotamians used glued wood strips at angles to create plywood. Other early examples ...

Materials scientists are looking to nature -- at the discs in human spines and the skin in ocean-diving fish, for example -- for clues about how to use liquid to increase the stiffness of flexible ...