Introduction


Composite fibre products are not new. The first compositematerial known was made in Egypt around 3,000 years ago when clay wasreinforced with straw to build walls. With the advent of metals, the use ofnatural fibre for reinforcing declined. The rise of composite materials beganduring the 1960s when glass fibres in combination with tough rigid resins couldbe produced on a large scale. Fibre Composites consist of polymers (plastics)reinforced with carbon, glass and/or aramid (Kevlar) fibres.  Thesematerials are up to 6 times stronger than steel and concrete at a fraction ofthe weight.  They are also non-corroding, non-magnetic and can be designedto locate strength and stiffness where it is needed.  The potential costadvantages are significant.


Composite materials (or composites for short)are engineered materials made from two or more constituent materials withsignificantly different physical or chemical properties and which remainseparate and distinct on a macroscopic level within the finished structure.


Why Use Composites?


To satisfy the increasing demand for housing andinfrastructure, industry and government are constantly looking for buildingmaterials and structures that are strong, economical, and easy to assemble anddurable. Fibre composites satisfy these requirements.


Specific advantages of fibre composites in structuralengineering include:


  • More appropriate and economical structures

Case histories demonstrate that in many applications (evenwith today's material costs and processing technologies) fibre composites aredirectly competitive in initial cost, substantially less expensive in terms ofinstalled cost, and far less costly in maintenance.


  • More attractive structures

Because of the high strength, low weight and excellentdesign flexibility, fibre composite structures are commonly smaller, easier toblend in with the environment and more pleasing to the eye.


  • More environmentally friendly structures

The high corrosion resistance of fibre composites eliminatesthe need for chemical treatment (as required for most timbers), or protectionby toxic paints (as with steel).  Consequently there is less danger ofleaching of dangerous chemicals into the environment. 


  • Composite materials are also becoming more sustainable

Significant effort is being made in the developmentof polymer resins made from plant oils.  Soy based resins are alreadyin use for non-structural components, and natural fibres such as flax are beingused to create sustainable composites from renewable resources.


A Nickel-Carbon-Fibre Composite for Large Adaptive Mirrors


The next generation of ground-based optical telescopes iscurrently under development. These telescopes will have primary mirrors of30-50m in diameter and are termed Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). Mostdesign studies for ELTs have identified the need for an integrated largeadaptive mirror ranging in size from 2-4 metres and either flat, convex orconcave in profile. Currently there is a move towards large, ultra-thin glassmirrors, however these are fragile, costly to produce and unlikely to be madeto the sizes required for ELTs, needing a less desirable segmented arrangementof smaller mirrors to obtain the required diameter.


An alternative solution could be to use carbon-fibre composite(CFC) substrates - these are very robust even at high length to thicknessaspect ratios and are scalable to the maximum sizes proposed. Some of thebenefits in using CFC material are its low density, high stiffness and goodthermal stability - these properties and others can be optimized for theproject in question by careful choice of the fibre/resin ply matrix and designof the laminate lay-up sequence.

 

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Composite Car


Carbon dioxide emissions and world hydrocarbon fuel reserves means that there is considerable interest in technologies that reduce fuel consumption for passenger cars. In the area of vehicle design, body weight is the most important target for improvement, as a reduction in the weight of a vehicles body means that a smaller engine, and a lighter drive train and assembly can be used. So that various studies have indicated a potential for savings of up to 65% by using carbon fibre composites instead of steel wherever possible.



Composite Moulded Product


The Aero-Stable Carbon Car (ASCC) programme has been investigating the limitations to maximizing fuel economy in a lightweight car manufactured using carbon fibre composites (CFC). Current lightweight composite vehicles, such as racing cars, use a monocoque stressed-skin design for both weight and manufacturing cost reasons.


The monocoque approach having been discarded, a more efficient design that does not need to transfer large loads through panel joints, is to use a very stiff framework of complex shaped beams and struts, covered by thin panels, bonded using low stiffness adhesives. This approach also offers benefits in vehicle assembly and fitting, since loading and attachment points can be provided on the framework and the panels can be attached near the end of the process to provide clear access through frame apertures.



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