8 - Natural-fibre composites in structural applications

Abstract

Over the past ~60-70 years, the development of advanced polymeric composite materials, now primarily based on synthetic fibres (glass, carbon, aramid, etc) has permitted the replacement of a great many traditional metallic, polymeric and ceramic materials. It could be said that the age of composite materials is now upon us, as their field of application extends from transport to medical to “nanotech” and beyond. The acceptance of advanced composites, especially in the transport industries, as viable alternatives to more traditional materials is of course due to the impressive mechanical properties and low density of these materials, allowing their use in structural applications where light weight is also critical to the final design. In recent times, no other industry has embraced the technology of advanced composites more enthusiastically than the aerospace industry. In the not-so-distant future, commercial aircraft will shed hundreds of kilograms of weight with the extensive substitution of aluminium alloys with carbon fibre composites.