Composite Material
Composite Material, substance that is made up of a combination of two or more different materials. A composite material can provide superior and unique mechanical and physical properties because it combines the most desirable properties of its constituents while suppressing their least desirable properties. For example, a glass-fiber reinforced plastic combines the high strength of thin glass fibers with the ductility and chemical resistance of plastic; the brittleness that the glass fibers have when isolated is not a characteristic of the composite. The opportunity to develop superior products for aerospace, automotive, and recreational applications has sustained the interest in advanced composites. Currently composites are being considered on a broader basis—for applications that include civil engineering structures such as bridges and freeway pillar reinforcement; and for biomedical products, such as prosthetic devices. Composite materials usually consist of synthetic fibers embe...