A REVIEW ON POLYMER MATRIX COMPOSITES

With the recent developments in engineering, fascinating and wonderful material are produced by material science and technology experts which play a vital role in the industrial sector for the development of light weight, high strength, wear resistant and low cost materials. Composites are one of the most advanced and adaptable engineering materials. At present, composite materials play a key role in aerospace industry, automobile industry and other engineering applications as they exhibit outstanding strength to weight and modulus to weight ratio. The interest in advanced materials is increasing rapidly both in terms of their research and application. Composites are heterogeneous in nature, produced by the association of two or more components with fillers or reinforcing fibers and a compact-able matrix. The matrix may be of metallic, ceramic or polymeric in origin. It gives the composites their shape, surface appearance, environmental tolerance and overall durability while the fibre reinforcement carries most of the structural loads thus exhibits macroscopic stiffness and strength.