Composite materials, also known as composites or simply composite materials, are materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties. When combined, these materials produce characteristics different from the individual components, with each component remaining distinct and unique within the final structure.
Composite materials are widely favored for the following advantages:
Stronger: Composite materials are generally stronger than traditional materials, such as reinforced concrete being stronger than concrete.
Lighter: Composite materials are typically lighter than traditional materials, for example, carbon fiber is lighter than steel.
Cheaper: Composite materials are often cheaper than traditional materials, such as fiberglass being cheaper than aluminum.
More Durable: Composite materials usually last longer than traditional materials, being resistant to corrosion and wear.
Versatility: Composite materials can be customized to meet various application requirements.
The composition of composite materials covers a wide range of fields, including organic, inorganic, and metallic materials:
Composite Building Materials: Such as cement, concrete, etc.
Reinforced Plastics: For example, fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP).
Metal Matrix Composites: Such as aluminum-titanium composites.
Ceramic Matrix Composites: Such as carbon-ceramics.
Composite materials have a wide range of applications, including:
Buildings: Such as bridges, houses, and skyscrapers.
Transportation: Such as airplanes, cars, and bicycles.
Sports Equipment: Such as golf clubs, tennis rackets, and baseball bats.
Electronics: Such as mobile phones, laptops, and televisions.
Medical Devices: Such as artificial joints, implants, and surgical instruments.
The manufacturing process of composite materials typically includes the following steps:
Material Preparation: Preparing the matrix and reinforcement materials.
Mixing: Combining the matrix and reinforcement materials.
Forming: Shaping the mixture into the desired shape.
Curing: Hardening the mixture.
With continuous technological advancements, the performance and application range of composite materials will further improve. In the future, composite materials will play an increasingly important role in fields such as aerospace, new energy, and biomedicine.
The test items and related regulations for composite materials (also applicable to other types of materials) are summarized below.
| Test Iterms | International Regulations |
|---|---|
| Molecules (FTIR) | ASTM D3677 |
| Hardness | ASTM E384 ASTM D2240 |
| Density | ASTM D792 |
| Fiber content | ASTM D3171 ISO 14127 |
| Porosity | ASTM D2734 ISO 7822 |
| Test Iterms | International Regulations |
|---|---|
| Horizontal burning test Vertical burning test |
UL 94 |
| Heat deflection temperature | ASTM D648 ISO 75-1 ISO 75-2 ISO 75-3 |
| Glass transition temperature | ASTM D696 ISO 11359-2 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | ASTM D696 ISO 11359-2 |
| Heat Transfer Coefficient | ASTM E1461 ISO 22007-2 |
| DSC (Differential scanning calorimetry | ASTM D3418 ISO 11357-2 |
| TGA (Thermogravimetric analysis | ASTM E1131 |
| Test Iterms | International Regulations |
|---|---|
| Surface resistivity | ISO 14309 |
| Volume resistivity | ISO 13931 ISO 14309 |
| Test Iterms | International Regulations |
|---|---|
| Aging test | ASTM G154 ISO 4892-1 |
| Weathering resistance test | ASTM G155 ISO 4892-2 |
| Chemical resistance | ASTM D543 ISO 175 |
| Salt Spray test | ASTM B117 |