Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Composites+ modern materials
- each year hundreds of new materials are developed
- either due to new technology
- or a push from a designer
- e.g If existing materials do not have the desired properties for a prospective product
- improve properties- by combining materials
- composite
- different to an alloy, as in a composite the materials are not chemically bonded together
- if you cut through a composite, you can still see the different elements
- have been used for over 6000 years
- wattle and dawb
- reinforced concrete
- steel is used to improve tensile strength
- used in buildings esp skyscrapers
- glass- reinforced plastic
- (GRP) fibreglass
- glass fibres in a matrix of epoxy or polyester resin
- light + stronger than plastic- canoes
- carbon fibre reinforced plastic
- CFRP
- strength of carbon fibre + rigidity of polyester resin
- racing bikes and helmets
- these are made using
strands of fibre in a matrix
of liquid resin, which
hardens to form the
composites
- difficult to separate elements in a composite
- and not cost-effective to try
- so they can't be recycled, have to be thrown away-landfill
- thus, many people believe that composites are not environmentally friendly materials
- nanotechnology
- the science of the very small
- particles made from it have dimensions less than 100 nanometres
- nano-composites
- can be combined with other materials to improve properties
- e.g
- glass can be coated with a layer of nanomaterials that repel water and dirt- windows that never need cleaning
- carbon nanotubes can reduce the weight of CFRP, without reducing its strength
- e.g reducing weight of tennis frames + high performance racing bikes
- currently quite expensive to make
- risk that if released into environment, could cause novel types of pollution
- altho, ofc, some may be developed which help the environment
- controlling matter on an atomic scale, to form it into new materials with diff properties