Preface

From the preface to First Edition

A book on composite materials which is fully comprehensive would
embrace large sections of materials science, metallurgy, polymer technol-
ogy, fracture mechanics, applied mechanics, anisotropic elasticity theory,
process engineering and materials engineering. It would have to cover
almost all classes of structural materials from naturally occurring solids
such as bone and wood to a wide range of new sophisticated engineering
materials including metals, ceramics and polymers. Some attempts have
been made to provide such an over-view of the subject and there is no
doubt that the interaction between different disciplines and different
approaches offers a fruitful means of improving our understanding of
composite materials and developing new composite systems.
This book takes a rather narrower view of the subject since its main
objective is to provide for students and researchers, scientists and engi-
neers alike, a physical understanding of the properties of composite mate-
rials as a basis for the improvement of the properties, manufacturing
processes and design of products made from these materials. This under-
standing has evolved from many disciplines and, with certain limitations,
is common to all composite materials. Although the emphasis in the book
is on the properties of the composite materials as a whole, a knowledge is
required of the properties of the individual components: the fibre, the
matrix and the interface between the fibre and the matrix.
The essence of composite materials technology is the ability to put
strong stiff fibres in the right place, in the right orientation with the
right volume fraction. Implicit in this approach is the concept that in
making the composite material one is also making the final product.
This means that there must be very close collaboration between those

https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139170130.001 Published online by Cambridge University Press

 xiv Preface

who design composite materials at the microscale and those who have to
design and manufacture the final engineering component.
Composite materials can be studied at a number of different levels each
of which requires a different kind of expertise. The method of approach
depends on the objectives of the investigation. Thus, the development of
a composite material to resist a corrosive environment, while maintaining
its physical and mechanical properties, is primarily an exercise in select-
ing fibres, resins and interfaces which resist this environment and is
within the expertise of chemists, physicists and materials scientists. In
contrast, the engineer who has to design a rigid structure, such as an
aerodynamic control surface on an aircraft or a pressure pipeline, is
more concerned with the macroscopic elastic properties of the material.
He uses anisotropic elasticity theory and finite element analysis to design
an optimum weight or optimum cost structure with the desired perfor-
mance characteristics. The disciplines in these two examples barely over-
lap and yet it is important for the physical scientist to understand the
nature of the design problem and for the engineer to appreciate the
subtleties of the material he uses in design. This book goes some way
towards building the bridge between these widely different approaches
and should be of value to all scientists and engineers concerned with
composite materials. Naturally, each group will look to other texts for
an in-depth treatment of specific aspects of the subject.

Preface to Second Edition

In the 15 years since the first edition was published, the subject of com-
posite materials has become broader and of greater technological impor-
tance. In particular, composites based on metallic and ceramic matrices
have received widespread attention, while the development of improved
polymer-based systems has continued. There have also been significant
advances in the understanding of how composite materials behave.
Furthermore, the wider range of composite types has led to greater inter-
est in certain properties, such as those at elevated temperature. We there-
fore decided to produce a major revision of the book, covering a wider
range of topics and presenting appreciably deeper treatments in many
areas. However, because the first edition has continued to prove useful
and relevant, we have retained much of its philosophy and objectives and
some of its structure. Throughout the book, emphasis is given to the
principles governing the behaviour of composite materials. While these
principles are applicable to all types of composite material, examples are

https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139170130.001 Published online by Cambridge University Press