
Reinforced concrete: Concrete strengthened by a material with high tensile strength such as steel reinforcing bars.Metal matrix composite: A metal spread throughout a matrix.These are better than normal ceramics as they are thermal shock and fracture resistant Ceramic matrix composite: Ceramic spread out in a ceramic matrix.The composites on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the mid-2000s substantiated their use for high strength applications. Then, in the mid-1990s, composites were starting to become increasingly common for manufacturing processes and construction due to their relatively cheap cost compared to materials that had been used previously. The first carbon fibre was patented in 1961 and then became commercially available. Two years later, higher performance resin systems became accessible. The resins engineered during this era are still used to this day and, in 1936, unsaturated polyester resins were patented. Glass fibre was introduced by Owens Corning who also started the first fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) industry. The 1930s was an incredibly important time for the advancement of composites. The fact that it did not conduct electricity and was heat resistant meant it could be widely used across many industries. Synthetics then started to be developed, Bakelite was created by the chemist Leo Baekeland. In the 1900s this new-found knowledge about chemicals led to the creation of various plastics such as polyester, phenolic and vinyl. These were made out of wood, bamboo, bone, cattle tendons, horn and silk bonded with pine resin.įollowing the industrial revolution, synthetic resins started to take a solid form by using polymerisation.


In 1200 A.D, the Mongols began to engineer composite bows which were incredibly effective at the time. Later on, both of these societies started to reinforce their materials with straw to strengthen mud bricks, pottery and boats. Following this, in around 2181 B.C the Egyptians started to make death masks out of linen or papyrus soaked in plaster. The ancient society glued wood strips on top of each other at different angles to create plywood. In 3400 B.C the first man made composites were engineered by the Mesopotamians in Iraq. Humans have used composites for thousands of years. National Structural Integrity Research Centre.Structural Integrity Research Foundation.
