skip to main content

Riley Surface World uses cookies to give you the best experience on our website. If you continue we assume that you consent to receive cookies on our website. Read More

X
Machines & equipment for sale

What are Composites?

what-are-composites

Composites are everywhere, and humans have been using composite materials for thousands of years. They are the hidden features within many of the things we rely on daily. From golf clubs, to cars, to pipes in our neighbourhood, composites have permeated our lives. Composites offer many benefits, among them are strength, lightweight, corrosion resistance, design flexibility, and durability, high impact strength, non-magnetic, low maintenance, rapid installation, long-term durability, and dimensional stability. Composites help us solve problems, raise performance levels and create endless opportunities for innovation.

The term composite refers to a combination of resin and fibre reinforcement, called “fibre-reinforced polymers” or FRP composites; this combination can produce some of the strongest and most adaptable materials for their weight that technology has every developed.

Composites are formed by combining two or more materials (natural or artificial) with different properties, without dissolving or blending them into each other. The different materials work together to give the composite unique properties, but within the composite you can easily tell the different materials apart. These materials are stronger as a team than as individuals.

Why Composites?

Composites provide unique benefits over traditional materials such as aluminium, wood, steel, or concrete. This is due to the unique nature of the material and how we adjust its components in order to change the characteristic of the final product. Composites have the ability to open new possibilities for manufacturers, designers and engineers. Working with composites allows for tailoring the properties of fibres, resins and additives to get the exact material properties and performance characteristics you need.  

Industries that are Growing Thanks to Composites

  • Renewable Energy (wind): wind energy represents the largest market for glass fibre-reinforced composites – composites are key in this industry as lightweight strength is needed in turbine applications
  • Aerospace: carbon fibre is the driving material within this market
  • Marine: Resistance to water, salt, chemicals, and other erosive substances have ingrained composite manufacturing in the marine industry.
  • Electronics: Electrical resistivity and high flame-retardant materials are in demand across the electronics industry
  • Consumer goods: furniture, décor, lifestyle items, home materials are in demand- these products have become more affordable

Common Composite Materials Include:

  • Ceramic matrix composite
  • Metal matrix composite
  • Reinforced concrete-concrete strengthened by a material with high tensile strength such as steel reinforcing bars.
  • Glass fibre reinforced concrete
  • Translucent concrete
  • Engineered wood: manufactured wood combined with other cheap materials
  • Plywood: engineered wood by gluing many thin layers of wood together at different angles

The Future of Composites

As composites keep opening up new possibilities for manufacturers, designers, and engineers, they also become more sophisticated as well as their manufacturing processes. Fibre, resin, and additives are selected and formulated to deliver desired properties and performance. This lighter alternative is not only replacing traditional steel and aluminium but it is also increasing its value in each part, allowing more durability and offering environmental benefits.

If you would like find out more about composites, check out our other articles at: