Subjected to hydrostatic
pressure, Kevlar is 20 times
stronger than steel
Economy
High cost
Physical
properties
High temperature resistance
Impact resistence
Uses
Bulletproof vest
Particle Reinforced
Uses in Industry
Automotive Glass reinforced plastics are used in many automotive applications including body
panels, bumpers, dashboards, and intake manifolds. Brakes are made of particulate composite
composed of carbon or ceramics particulates.
Benefits
Improved material properties
Tailored material properties
Manufacturing flexibility
Fiber Reinforced
Automotive
Particulate reinforced plastics have been used for some time but fiber reinforced composites have
only really been used in high end sports cars but are starting to make their way into traditional
vehicles.
Aerospace
Carbon fiber composites are now quite common in commercial and military aviation. The Boeing 787
and Airbus A350 XWB have roughly 50% of their structure from composite materials.
Benefits
High stiffness to weight ratio
High strength
Corrosion resistant
Fatigue resistant
Energy Absorption on Impact
Tailored material properties
Marine
These are not traditional laminated composites, rather the glass fibers are oriented randomly giving
the structure more uniform material properties. Being fairly cheap, glass fiber can be used in large
structures.