Composite materials

CARBON FIBER: A COMPOSITE MATERIAL

We can define a material like “composite material” when is composed by 2 basic elements: the matrix and reinforcement fibers. Is very important that these two basic elements can be always clearly distinguished. It means that if I watch at the material with a microscope, I always can identify clearly the matrix and reinforcement fibers.

The fibers can be long or short depending on lenght/diameter ratio. If the ratio is high, the fiber is long and we have a greater reinforcement action on matrix by fibers. But why we have to create a composite material? Because we use the properties of each component (matrix and fibers) to obtain a final material that preserves all this features and maximazes them according to project needs.

In other words, with composites technology, is possible to create some materials with all the necessary features for a specific industrial application. You also have to know that the most ancient and natural composite material is the solid wood, that is made of cellulose (matrix) and wood fibers (reinforcement fibers).