Putting it together – science and technology of composite materials
Useful Sites
What's a composite? (about.com, USA)
A general introduction to composite materials.
What are composites? (Composites Institute of Australia)
A brief look at composites and their manufacturing advantages.
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Fibre reinforced polymers – from aerospace to infrastructure
This 1999 article discusses the use of composite materials in four industries – aerospace, automotive, offshore oil and gas and construction.
Tomorrow's plastic cars
This article looks at how fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites can be used in the automotive industry as alternatives to traditional materials.
Clay based nanocomposites (Azom.com, Australia)
Provides information on nanoscale clay-polymer composites.
Introduction to composites in construction (Network Group for Composites and Construction, UK)
Broad range of information about composites in construction. Covers manufacturing techniques, engineering properties and designing with composites. Also has a glossary of terms used in the plastics industry. Written for those with little prior knowledge of composites.
Carbon fibre cars (The Science Show, Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Discusses how researchers at Deakin University have produced a carbon composite which can be made more quickly and cheaply, which could make car bodies lighter and safer.
Page updated August 2006.