Glass and Ceramic Matrix Composites Present and Future

Abstract

During the past 25 years materials scientists have been able to make a major change in the way materials are considered for application. In the past designers have worked with data representing the properties of homogeneous, isotropic materials and designed their components to fit written accepted ranges of “design allowables”. More recently, however, the concept of composite materials has permitted almost limitless tailoring of composites to create entirely new designs never previously possible. By choice of types of material constituents, their relative percentages and their orientation the designer can now work closely with the materials scientist to optimize system performance. This philosophy has firmly taken hold in the family of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites and more recently has made metal matrix composites an industrial reality.