Polymer-Matrix Composites
Viewpoints
2023
2022
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December/January:
2022: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2023 -
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October:
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2021
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December/January:
2021: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2022 -
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
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February:
3D-Printing Composite Homes
Growth Opportunities for Composites in Infrastructure
Archived Viewpoints
2020
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December/January:
2020: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2021 -
November:
Use of Sustainable Composites in Vehicles
Graphene Nanocomposites -
October:
Carbon Fiber from Coal
Composites Outlook in the Covid-19 Era -
September:
Composites for Massive Offshore Wind Turbines
Composite Hydrogen Tanks -
August:
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July:
Arevo to Offer 3D Printing as a Service
Composites in Hyperloops -
June:
The Pandemic Crisis: Scenarios for the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Materials
Scenarios Presentation: The Pandemic Crisis: Scenarios for the Future of Technology Development
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May:
The Pandemic Crisis: Key Forces That Will Shape the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Materials
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April:
Composites Enabling Flying Taxis
Recycling Wind-Turbine Blades -
March:
Composite-Enabled Communication
Composite Wings Guiding Aircraft to New Efficiency Levels -
February:
ESE Carbon's Tailored Carbon-Fiber Wheels
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette: Industry Pioneer for Composites' Inclusion
2019
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December/January:
2019: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2020 -
November:
Composite Bogie Frames
Introducing Biocomposites into Racing Cars -
October:
Composite Fuel Tanks
Arevo's Additive-Manufacturing Process for Carbon-Composite Bikes -
September:
Elixir's Injection-Molded-Carbon Aircraft
Upcycling Carbon Fiber from Aerospace Waste -
August:
Composite Electric Surfboards
Industrial Polyurethane in the Wind Industry -
July:
Composites Manufacturing Meets the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Carbon-Fiber-Enabled Energy Storage -
June:
Growing Demand for Ballistic Composites
Herone's New Advanced-Composite-Fabrication Process -
May:
Developing a New Method for Resin-Transfer Molding
Narce-Structured Composites That Exhibit Anisotropic Electrical Conductivity -
April:
Rolls-Royce's New Jet-Engine Turbine Development
Cevotec Presents New Fiber-Patch-Placement Technology -
March:
Manufacturing Lignin Composites
Wind Turbine Blades for Offshore Power Generation -
February:
The Next Generation of Manufacturing Design: Multifunctional Composites
Digital Manufacturing of Composites
2018
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December/January:
2018: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2019 -
November:
Airbus Explores Artificial Spider-Silk-Based Composites
Breaking the Production-Mold Barrier -
October:
Composites Rotor Sails Realize Century-Old Technology
Induction Curing for Carbon-Fiber Composites -
September:
In Search of the Perfect Cure Chemistry
Composite-to-Metal Bonding -
August:
Recycling Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Boats and Wrecks
Vehicle Lightweighting for Zero-Emission Delivery Services -
July:
Developments in Composite Flying Cars
Carbon Fiber Goes to Space -
June:
Arevo's 3D-Printing Composites Technology
High-Volume Carbon-Fiber-Production Process -
May:
Automation in Carbon-Fiber-Production Processes
Developments in Composite Bone Implants That Heal -
April:
Carbon-Fiber-Recycling Facilities Expand Operations
Breakthrough in 3D Printing High-Temperature Composites -
March:
Extending the Wind-Turbine Market to Cold Climates
Developments in Aerospace Graphene-Enhanced Composites -
February:
Affordable Automotive Composites by Digital Design
Versarien's Graphene Composites' Global Reach
2017
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December/January:
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November:
Update on the European Commission's Graphene Flagship Initiative
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October:
Sustainable Fiber-Reinforced Composites
Boeing Funding Research to Develop Longer-Lasting Composites
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September:
New European Composite-Marine-Vessel-Construction Project
3D Printing High-Strength Composites -
August:
Detecting Bacterial Contamination Using Color-Changing Composites
Carbon-Nanotube Wools -
July:
Automotive-Composites Developments
Developments in Polymer Nanocomposites -
June:
3D Printing Fiber-Reinforced Composites
UK Position Paper Calls for Changes to UK Composite Regulations -
May:
Reverse Merger Facilitates Low-Cost Carbon-Fiber Production
Bamboo Reinforcements in Automobile Interiors -
April:
Composite Infrastructure for NASA's Mars Colonization
China's Automotive Partnership in Recycled Carbon Fiber -
March:
Mass-Producing Graphene by Detonation!
European Investment in Antimicrobial Food Packaging -
February:
Biodegradable Composite Bullets with Seeds
World's First Composite Elevator
2016
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December/January:
2016: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2017 -
November:
Graphene Hybrid Polymer-Matrix Composites
Cutting Costs in Wind-Turbine Composites -
October:
3D-Printing Partnerships in the Automotive and Aerospace Industries
Self-Healing Composites at Subzero Temperatures -
September:
Novel Fire-Resistant Plant-Based Composite
Self-Destructing Batteries -
August:
Increasing Demand for Commercial Aircraft
Recycling Carbon and Glass-Fiber Composites -
July:
Motion-Sensing Carbon-Nanotube Gloves
Composite-Foam Grafts Trigger Bone Regrowth -
June:
Reducing Volatile Organic Compounds in Plastics Processing
3D Printing Chemically Active Polymer-Matrix Composites -
May:
World's Largest Commercial-Aircraft Engine
Graphene-Enhanced Polymer-Composite Supply Chains -
April:
Separating and Recycling Wind-Turbine-Blade Composites
Additive Manufacturing in the Oil-and-Gas Industry -
March:
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February:
Green Composite Truck Panels
Boron Nitride Nanotubes' Rivaling Carbon Counterparts
2015
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December/January:
2015: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2016 -
November:
Health Risks of Polymeric Fibers
Turning Tires into Carbon-Matrix-Composite Papers -
October:
Quantifying the Release of Carbon Nanotubes from PMCs
Replacing Titanium with Polymer-Matrix Composites -
September:
Portable PMC Gas Sensors
Composite-Recycling-Industry Growth? -
August:
Biomimetic Sound-Dampening Wind-Turbine Blades
Insecticide-Treated Plastics -
July:
Multifunctional Self-Healing Polymer-Matrix Composites
Optimizing Injection Molding -
June:
Aerogels Increase Composites Functionality
Lightning-Strike Patents -
May:
A Closing Window for the Composite Learjet 85
Getting It Right the First Time: Return to Basics -
April:
French Companies Demonstrate High-Speed-Composites Pilot Line
Composite Cryotanks -
March:
Drilling Polymer-Matrix Composites
Modular Blade Designs for Offshore-Wind Energy -
February:
Academics Weigh In on Sustainability and Composite Aircraft
Accelerating Composites Uptake in Industry
2014
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December/January:
2014: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2015 -
November:
Aerospace-Waste Carbon Fiber for Protective-Sports Equipment
Carbon-Fiber Door wins Automotive-Innovation Award -
October:
Frimo Develops Novel Composites with Biomimetic Sharkskin Surfaces
Composite Superstructures on the Zumwalt–Class Destroyer -
September:
Thermoplastic Sandwich Panels for Lightweight Solutions
Onshore-Wind-Energy-Market Update -
August:
3D-Printing of Lightweight Cellular Composites
Audi Develops Lightweight Composite Springs -
July:
New Production Technology for Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes
Airbus Sets Out Carbon-Fiber-Waste-Recycling Plans -
June:
Self-Healing Composites
GE Retrofits Wind-Turbine Blades for More Power -
May:
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April:
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March:
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February:
2013
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December/January:
2013: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2014 -
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February:
2012
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December/January:
2012: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2013 -
November:
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2011
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December/January:
2011: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2012 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
Advanced Composites: Retaining Talent Is Critical for Future Success
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June:
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February:
2010
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December/January:
2010: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2011 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
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June:
Rough Air: The Outlook for the Commercial-Airplane Manufacturing Industry
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May:
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April:
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March:
Long-Fiber–Reinforced Thermoplastics: Production Technology and Recent Developments
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February:
2009
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December/January:
2009: The Year in Review
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2008
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December/January:
2008: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2009 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
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June:
Composite Demand from the Automotive Sector: Rough Road Ahead
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May:
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February:
2007
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December/January:
2007: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2008 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
Commercial Development Parameters for Polymer-Matrix Composites
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June:
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2006
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December/January:
2006: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2007 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
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June:
Composite Use in Airplanes: Value Chain and Commercial Opportunities
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May:
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April:
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March:
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February:
2005
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December/January:
2005: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2006 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
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June:
A New Thermoplastic Matrix: Cyclic Polybutylene Terephthalate
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May:
Trends in Wind Energy and Implications for Polymer-Matrix Composites
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April:
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March:
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February:
2004
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December/January:
2004: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2005 -
November:
Fiber Producers Will Expand Capacity
Recent Developments: Borden Chemical Will Acquire Bakelite GmbH -
October:
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March:
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February:
Resin Price Increases
Recent Developments: Recycled Composites on the Up
2003
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December/January:
2003: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2004 -
November:
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October:
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September:
Recent Developments: Wind-Energy Developments | GM's Carbon-Fiber–Composite Hood
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August:
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July:
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June:
European Developments in Recycling Polymer-Matrix Composites
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February:
2002
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December/January:
2002: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2003 -
November:
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March:
Graphite Matrices for Heat Sink Applications
Recent Developments: PMC for the Military -
February:
2001
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December/January:
2001: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2002 -
November:
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October:
Recent Developments: Zoltek's Big Gamble | The Devil in the Details | Blue Cement | PMC Armor
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September:
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April:
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March:
Carbon Nanotubes for PMC
Recent Developments: A Horseshoe of PMC -
February:
2000
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December/January:
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November:
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October:
The All-Plastic Car
Recent Developments: Natural Fibers Replacing Glass Fibers in PMC -
September:
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August:
PMC as a Building Material
Recent Developments: Finalists for Gilman Advanced Technology Bridge -
July:
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February:
1999
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December/January:
1999: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 2000 -
November:
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October:
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September:
The Technology of Bridge Construction with PMCs
Recent Developments: 2.5-m Pultruded Bridge Decks -
August:
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Before August 1999, the Explorer service was called TechMonitoring, and Viewpoints were TechLinks.
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July:
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June:
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February:
1998
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December/January:
1998: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 1999 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
Opportunities for PMCs to Replace Steel and Reinforced Concrete in the Construction Industry
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July:
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June:
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May:
Nondestructive Composite Test and Evaluation: Designs from NASA
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April:
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February:
1997
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December/January:
1997: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 1998 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
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July:
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June:
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May:
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April:
A Second Look at Composite Bridges: Components and Structures
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March:
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February:
1996
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December/January:
1996: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 1997 -
November:
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October:
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September:
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August:
Low-Cost Composite Manufacturing for Aircraft | Three New Fiber Systems
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July:
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June:
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May:
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April:
Blurring the Boundaries Between Polymer and Ceramic Composites
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March:
A Government Agency's Perspective on Composites in the Construction Industry
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February:
An Engineer's Perspective on Composites in the Construction Industry
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December/January:
1995: The Year in Review
Look for These Developments in 1996
About Polymer-Matrix Composites
Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs) consist of two materials that combine to create a material with unique glass characteristics. They can consist of high-strength fibers or nanoparticles (typically glass, carbon, or aramid) or other high-strength fibers in a thermoset or thermoplastic resin. The resulting materials are strong, stiff, and corrosion resistant. PMCs adopt flat, gently curved, or sharply sculpted contours with ease, providing manufacturers with design flexibility. In addition, composites offer the opportunity for parts consolidation and lower assembly costs.
Polymer-matrix composites provide a stiff, lightweight alternative to metals, including steel and aluminum, and traditional materials such as wood. Currently, composites find use in a broad range of applications. In the aerospace, automotive, rail, and bus sectors, their light weight leads to lower fuel consumption. Their resistance to corrosion enables their use in marine, construction and infrastructure applications, including piping and storage tanks. Composites' lightweight strength and vibration-damping properties protect athletes from tennis elbow and allow fishermen to cast with increased accuracy. In addition, polymer-matrix composites are the materials of choice for wind-turbine blades and—in the electronics sector—for printed-circuit boards as well as electricity-transmission and -distribution applications. Biobased feedstocks and natural fibers and fillers are also playing an increasingly important role in more sustainable composites and products for a wide range of industries.
Composites continue to make steady progress in new as well as established applications. In the aerospace industry, the current emphasis on fuel efficiency favors the use of PMCs instead of aluminum; in addition, new and emerging classes of aircraft—very light jets and electric urban-mobility aircraft—make extensive use of lightweight composites. In the automotive industry, manufacturers are recognizing the advantages of weight reduction, parts consolidation, and design freedom that PMCs afford. In the energy sector, the growing use of wind energy has led to increased demand for PMC turbine blades. Suppliers and OEMs across composites supply chains are also ramping up methods to enhance the materials' recyclability (an important factor in markets such as automotive and wind power) to ensure that the outlook for PMCs remains bright.