Composite Materials Flashcards
Carbon fibre - (sometimes knows as graphite fibre
Thin crystalline filaments of carbon. These filaments strengthen the material. These can be as thin as a strand of hair and get their strength when TWISTED TOGETHER.
To ensure these fibres take a permanent shape they can be laid over a mould and coated with resin and/or plastic
Carbon fibre - Advantages and disadvantages and uses
+ excellent strength to weight ratio - almost 5 times stronger than steel but it’s lighter
+very good tensile strength
+can be formed into complex and aerodynamic one piece structure
- very expensive
- only available in black
- highly specialised manufacturing process required
- Cannot be easily repaired as structure loses integrity
- Cannot be easily recycled
Used - TENNIS RACKETS, fishing rods, bicycle frames and wheels, aircraft, vehicle compounds etc.
Glass fibre/ glass reinforced plastics
Material consisting of extremely fine fibres of glass or silica
The glass fibre is reinforced with polymers or epoxy resin
Form of a woven matting
Glass fibre - advantages, disadvantages and uses
- Excellent strength to weight ratio
- Resistant to corrosion and water
- has both compressive and tensile strength - glass has tensile, polymer has compressive
- Wide range of colours
- can be repaired easily
- ideal for external shell structures
- expensive
- specialised manufacturing process required
- high quality mild needed
- used for rotator blades of wind turbines
- canoes
- Fish ponds
- Fairground rides
- vehicle bodies
