Introduction

Harper, Lee; Clifford, Mike

Abstract

Fibre-reinforced polymer composites are acknowledged to offer some of the highest specific properties (stiffness, strength) of any engineering materials, but this chapter takes a look at why these materials are not more widely adopted for general structural applications. A brief introduction explains the synergy created between the fibres and the polymer, enabling the applied load to be shared by the two constituents. The chapter discusses the links amongst manufacturing process, mechanical performance, and cost, providing a brief history of technology developments, before considering new applications and future challenges faced by the sector.

Citation

Harper, L., & Clifford, M. (2023). Introduction. In Design and Manufacture of Structural Composites (3-17). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-819160-6.00009-3

• Online Publication Date: Jan 27, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 19, 2024
• Pages: 3-17
• Series Title: Woodhead Publishing Series in Composites Science and Engineering
• Series Number: Vol. 1
• Book Title: Design and Manufacture of Structural Composites
• ISBN: 9780128191606
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-819160-6.00009-3
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/32742403
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128191606000093?via%3Dihub