Chemistry Chapter 8(Composite Materials and Its Importance)

COMPOSITE MATERIALS
AND ITS IMPORTANCE

A.Esopathan Rau
Ainesh Avigna
Satissh Narayana
Pugalventhan
Kagineswary
Kasandran
Tannishtha Nair

Composite Material

 A Composite material made from combining two or more non-
homogeneous substances, that is matrix substances and
strengthening substance.

 The matrix substances surrounds and binds the strengthening
substance together.

 The reason for their use over traditional materials is because
they improve the properties of their base materials and are
applicable in many situations.(ex. : Wood)

 Both components of a composite material have different
physical and chemical properties.

 When combined, the composite material formed has better
properties than the original components.

Lignin (Matrix substances) Cellulose fibers

(Strengthening substances)

Wood (Composite material)

Composite Materials and their Uses

 Reinforced concrete
• -Produced when steel bars or wire mesh

(strengthening substances) is immersed in concrete
(matrix substances).
• -Reinforced concrete is widely used in the
construction of bridges, dams and buildings. ex.:
bridge, dam, building.

 Fiber glass

• -Produced when plastic (matrix substances) with
glass fibers (strengthening substances).

• -This composite material is used to make helmets,
car bumpers and printed circuit boards. ex.: helmet,
car bumper and printed circuit board

 Optical fiber
• -consists of three layers.
• -the innermost layer is the core that is made up of silica glass fibers (strengthening

substances).
• -The core is encased in second layer or cladding that is made up of glass or plastic

(metric substances).
• -the outermost layer is made of plastic that acts as a protective jacket (matrix

substances).
 Uses:
• -transmit information and data in the form of light.
• -light moves through the optical fiber (core section) in aeries of total internal

reflection.
• -the core and cladding have different refractive indexes to enable them to carry

data in large capacity and to not be influenced by electromagnetic disturbances.
• -this composite material has replaced copper wires in video cameras and connects

computers in Local Area Network (LAN)

 Photo chromic glass
• -formed when glass(matrix substances)is combined with silver

chloride , Agcl and copper(I) chloride ,CuCI (strengthening
substances).
• -When exposed to sunlight ,photochromis glass darkens.
• -This is due to the formation of silver chloride ,CuCl in photo chromic
glass catalyses the reverse process so that glass becomes
transparent again.
• Photo chromic glass protects the user from UV rays and is suitable
for use in car windows, building windows and camera lenses.
• ex.: Camera lens, Building window, car window.

 Superconductors
• -such as yttrium barium copper oxide, YBCO ceramic is a

composite material that has superconductivity properties
other than alloys.
• -used to make electromagnets .
• -superconductor magnets are light and have strong magnetic
force.
• -this used in particle accelerators and involved in Nuclear
Magnetic Resonance (NMR) machines and Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines.
• ex.: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) machines, Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines and Particle accelerator.