Composites are the advanced materials most widely used. In almost every material we use in our everyday life. They are engineered chemical mixtures which turn an ordinary substance to a more sustainable and stronger component.
The rapid increase in demand for manufacturing products laid a way. For the development of new materials. Their impact in present day life is almost incalculable.
Examples of composites can be seen day in and day out. Surprisingly, they can be found all throughout human life.
Below are the some examples of composites. We find uses of composites in everyday life . In this article we shall discuss the applications and uses.
House and garden
Composites can be found in bathtubs, office chairs, window frames, fiberglass doors, fencing, sun blinds.
The most common composite used is wood-plastic and plastic lumber. They have the same look and feel as wood. But with much better durability and low maintenance.
Some of the applications where these materials are used are fencing installations, playground equipment, railings, doors and windows, outdoor decking and leisure furniture .
Chopped glass fiber mat with polyester resin is used in designing high end swimming pools.
Sports and recreation
In many sports applications weight reduction is the main criteria which attracted the use of composite materials.
Formula one race cars are the first ever discipline where composites are applied. All its components are made of carbon fibers which are resistant to high energy absorption in case of crashes and provide low density.
Minardi Formula 1
Other composite applications in sports are carbon bikes, surfboards, skis, snowboards, made of polyurethane, hulls, decks, masts and boom . Recreation applications – dart made of carbon fiber, climbing wall, carbon fiber bow.
Dart made from carbon fiber-reinforced nylon
Cars and motorcycles
In automobile application the major feature required is weight reduction, this pushed thes of sailing yachts
Ellen MacArthur’s carbon fibre trimaran
designers to use more and more composites.
Almost every component in automobiles, we can see the usage of composites. For example the bonnet, door, front wings, deck lid, tyres, rims, ceramic brakes etc..
Carbon reinforced fiber plastic, combination of polypropylene thermoplastic resin with banana fiber , carbon reinforced ceramic are majorly used materials.
They exhibit high underfloor protection, against stone strikes and overall reduction in weight.
Composites are also applied in interiors of cars such as cars seats made of continuous carbon fiber, dashboard with long fiber reinforced composite, polyurethane foam creating soft touch.
Mercedes CLK DTM AMG, Cabriolet,Mercedes Benz CL, DaimlerChrysler, Peugeot 907 has been introduced with a complete carbon fiber body shell, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 are some of the applications of composites in cars.
Just like cars, motorcycles are also introduced with composites. T-Rex three-wheeler superbike, a composite motorcycle with a glass fiber-reinforced body and carbon fiber windscreen and headrest.
Health care
The unique properties offered by these advanced materials made their utilization in various fields including the medical field.
Some of the examples include
Orthopedic implants– Bone plates, joints, screws are replaced by composite implants made of carbon fiber. They have good bio capability making them suitable for long]term implantation in humans.
Dentistry – tooth-colored composite resins are the best replacement for commonly used tooth fillings and bonding. They give an aesthetic look making them a popular choice for restorative procedures.
The other applications include biomedical sensors- monitoring health parameters, prosthetics- production of artificial limbs and wound dressings where hydrogel foams are used
Consumer goods
Composites are used in various consumer goods and electronics like smart phones, tabs, laptops. Carbon fibers or glass fibers are used in device casting providing lightweight yet robust protection.
Sony’s carbon fibre VAIO notebook
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are composite materials used?
Composites are durable, have less fracture toughness than metals but more than most polymers. Their high dimensional stability allows them to maintain their shape, whether hot or cold, wet or dry. This makes them a popular material for outdoor structures like wind turbine blades.
What are the applications of composite nanoparticles?
The composite nanoparticles have demonstrated excellent prospects in some important areas, such as development of new functional materials, effective utilization of new energy, wastewater treatment, and biochemical medicine.
What are the applications of composites in engineering?
Composites are important materials which are now used widely, not only in the aerospace industry, but also in a large and increasing number of commercial mechanical engineering applications, such as internal combustion engines; machine components; thermal management and electronic packaging; automobile, train.
Infrastructure – Composites in Everyday Life
Composites play a vital role in modern infrastructure applications due to their versatility and exceptional properties.
Construction– Fiber reinforced composites provide good bearing capacity reducing weight of the structure providing faster construction. They are used in structures like columns, beams, bridges and facades. They are also used in rehabilitation and retrofitting.
Transportation– composites are extensively used in transportation like automotives, aircrafts and marine applications.
They provide high strength and durability with overall reduction in weight which in turn improves the fuel efficiency of the machine.
Components like wings, fuselage in aircrafts, car bodies, chassis, in the automotive sector, boat hulls, decks, masts are made of these advanced materials-exhibiting high corrosion resistance.
Energy- composites in renewable energy infrastructure plays a vital role. Some of the applications include wind turbine blades that resist high fatigue, solar panels and in energy storage systems like storage compressed natural gas(CNG) or hydrogen.
