Composites fill a gap where other materials fall short. Composite materials consist of at least two components: the reinforcement, which adds specific mechanical qualities like stiffness or strength, and the matrix material, which binds everything together. These materials combine the best qualities of their constituent materials, creating a new material that surpasses the limitations of any single component on its own. Each composite material has a unique set of properties, pros, cons, and ideal applications.
This article will look at 23 different types of composite materials. We will define them, discuss properties that make them unique, examine their pros and cons, and more.
1. Concrete
Concrete is a very popular composite material for construction projects. It employs cement as a binder which is mixed with water and aggregates like: sand, gravel, or crushed stone. This mixture, when hardened, transforms into a durable stone-like material. Rebar is often incorporated into concrete structures for added strength. Concrete’s biggest advantage is its excellent compressive strength. However, it tends to be brittle and weak in tension. Cracks may develop during curing due to tension stress and shrinkage, allowing moisture infiltration that causes metal reinforcements inside to corrode, which can weaken the structure over time.
Concrete’s popularity stems from its availability, durability, and the established process for making it. It’s valued in structures such as buildings, bridges, and roads for its affordability, fire resistance, and moldability. However, it can be damaged by freeze-thaw cycles and harsh chemicals. While concrete is incredibly versatile and strong in compression, it needs reinforcement to make its tensile strength more comparable to steel or wood. Despite that, it’s still the go-to material for large-scale construction projects because it’s so cost-efficient.
2. Plywood
Plywood is an engineered wood product made by gluing multiple layers of wood veneer together. The grain of each layer is oriented perpendicular to the adjacent ones. This cross-graining (or cross-lamination) technique enhances the material’s strength, stability, durability, and resistance to expansion, shrinkage, warping, and splitting, especially when nailed at the edges. Figure 1 below shows the cross-graining technique:
plywood illustration
Illustration of plywood’s cross-graining technique. Image Credit: https://www3.epa.gov/ttnchie1/ap42/ch10/final/c10s05.pdf
Plywood is made of at least three layers, or veneers, made from various woods and adhesives to give the final product-specific attributes. It always contains an odd number of layers to prevent warping and ensure stability. The sheets of wood are bonded together with heat and pressure.
The main types of plywood are: softwood and hardwood. The softwood type is made from; redwood, fir, spruce, cedar, or pine. It is typically used for industrial and construction purposes. Hardwood plywood, on the other hand, is made from dicot trees like: beech, oak, or mahogany. They are used for more demanding applications, such as heavy-duty floor and wall structures. Hardwoods are strong, stiff, durable, and resistant to creep.
While plywood is more resistant to moisture and deformation than ordinary wood, it is not entirely waterproof and can delaminate over time if exposed to excessive moisture. In comparison to solid wood or other wood composite materials like MDF (medium-density fiberboard), plywood offers a unique balance of strength, cost, and durability. It is a popular choice in both construction and furniture industries.
3. Fiber
Fiber refers to fine strands of materials such as glass, carbon, or flax which are used to reinforce other materials. Fibers are selected for their specific properties, such as high tensile strength, low weight, or corrosion resistance. They are embedded within a matrix (like resin) to form fiber-reinforced composites. These composites are engineered to achieve superior strength, durability, and flexibility compared to the base material alone. Applications of fiber composites span many industries — including automotive, aerospace, sporting goods, and construction — that need strong but lightweight materials. This method of construction shows its value by enhancing the physical properties of the matrix materials. However, the cost can vary significantly depending on the type of fiber used, with carbon fibers being more expensive than glass or natural fibers. Each fiber type offers unique benefits. For instance, carbon fibers provide unparalleled strength and stiffness, while natural fibers are cheaper and more environmentally friendly. The choice of fiber depends on the specific requirements of the application.
4. Fiberglass
Fiberglass is a common composite material consisting of glass fibers embedded in a resin matrix. The glass fibers provide the composite with good tensile strength and flexibility, while the resin protects the fibers and distributes the load evenly throughout the material. This unique combination results in a strong, durable, and lightweight material. Fiberglass is an excellent choice for applications such as: automotive bodies, boat hulls, and low-load construction materials. It can strengthen vinyl windows to withstand extreme weather, make up non-slip walking surfaces in buildings, and serve as conductor rods or insulation filler. The material may be fabricated in numerous forms such as: channels, poles, and even sporting equipment. One of the key advantages of fiberglass is its resistance to corrosion, moisture, and various chemicals, allowing it to perform well in harsh environments. Additionally, its non-conductive nature makes it suitable as electrical insulation. Despite its many benefits, fiberglass can be brittle and prone to cracking under high impacts, and the manufacturing process can be somewhat costly. There are also some health concerns related to the use of fiberglass. Compared to materials like carbon fiber, fiberglass is a more cost-effective solution with a slightly lower strength-to-weight ratio. Overall, it is a versatile option for a wide range of applications that demand high performance without the cost of more advanced composites.
5. Pykrete
Pykrete is a unique composite material made from a mixture of 14% wood pulp or sawdust and about 86% ice. The addition of wood pulp to ice significantly enhances its strength and reduces its melting rate, making pykrete harder and more enduring than pure ice. Pykrete was investigated during World War II as a potential construction material for inexpensive, unsinkable aircraft carriers. It also finds use for ice roads used to transport heavy loads across frozen lakes. The primary advantage of pykrete lies in its simplicity and surprising durability and longevity. However, it still demands a consistently low temperature to prevent melting, so its practicality is limited.
6. Reinforced Concrete
Reinforced concrete is an advanced form of concrete that incorporates steel reinforcement bars, fibers, or meshes to improve its tensile strength. This combination harnesses both the compressive strength of concrete and the tensile properties of steel, allowing it to support heavier loads and span greater distances than plain concrete. Reinforced concrete is widely used in construction and forms the backbone of modern infrastructure, including: skyscrapers, bridges, and highways. Its benefits include durability, fire resistance, and the versatility to be molded into various shapes. However, it requires careful design and construction practices to prevent corrosion of the steel reinforcement, which can compromise the structure’s integrity. When compared to plain concrete, reinforced concrete offers superior structural capacity and flexibility. Despite the added costs in materials and labor, the extended lifespan and enhanced performance of reinforced concrete structures often justify the investment.
7. Reinforced Plastic
These composites combine reinforcing fibers with a polymer matrix (either thermoplastic or thermoset materials). Reinforced plastic combines the lightweight and corrosion-resistant properties of plastic with the strength of reinforcing fibers like: glass, carbon, or aramid fibers. These plastics are often also referred to as fiber-reinforced plastics, reinforced polymers, or fiber-reinforced polymers. This composite material is engineered to achieve a high strength-to-weight ratio. It is suitable for everything from automotive and aerospace components to sporting goods and construction elements.
Reinforced plastics offer significant advantages, including: corrosion resistance, low weight, and the ability to be molded into complex shapes. However, they can be more expensive than traditional materials and may require specialized manufacturing processes. Compared to unreinforced plastics, they are more durable and structurally sound. The cost of reinforced plastic components varies depending on the type of reinforcement used, with carbon fiber-reinforced plastics being on the higher end of the spectrum due to the cost of carbon fibers. The properties can be customized for particular needs by adjusting the: fiber type, fiber arrangement, and polymer matrix. For instance, aerospace engineers often utilize carbon fibers for their exceptional strength and stiffness. In contrast, construction projects frequently opt for glass fibers, which are favored for their affordability and resistance to weathering.
8. Sandwich Panel
Sandwich panels are composite elements consisting of two thin, strong layers of material (such as metal sheets, plywood, or composite laminates) bonded to a lightweight core material in the middle. The core of the panel is usually made from insulating materials like: mineral wool, polyisocyanurate foam, or polystyrene. This configuration creates excellent strength-to-weight ratios and insulation properties, making sandwich panels ideal for aerospace, automotive, and construction applications. In particular, they’re seen in roofs, walls, and floors. The primary advantage of sandwich panels is their efficiency in providing high structural stiffness and low weight, along with thermal and acoustic insulation. However, their performance can be significantly affected by moisture absorption and delamination. Compared to traditional construction materials, sandwich panels can be viewed as modern alternatives that combine structural support with insulation, albeit at a higher up-front cost.
9. Parquetry
Parquetry is a decorative composite material made by arranging small pieces of wood in geometric patterns. This technique, dating back to the mid to late 1600s, is widely used for both furnishings and flooring. It’s known for its repeating squares, triangles, or lozenge shapes, often assembled using strips or blocks of wood. Parquetry uses a mix of different woods such as oak, walnut, cherry, lime, pine, and maple to form eye-catching designs. The diverse colors, shades, and textures of these woods make parquet flooring decorative as well as functional. While hot bitumen was used to attach parquet to the floor in the past, nowadays, a cold adhesive is commonly applied for installation. Parquet floors — particularly those made of wood — can be costly. Installation is also complex, requiring professional help unless you’re skilled in DIY projects. Additionally, parquet flooring might not be the best choice for areas with significant temperature or humidity fluctuations.
10. Syntactic Foam
Syntactic foam is an engineered composite material made by embedding hollow microspheres, known as microballoons, in a matrix material such as: metal, ceramic, epoxy, or polymer. The microspheres are often made of glass, ceramic, or plastic. The term “syntactic” refers to the orderly arrangement of these spheres; they create a closed-cell structure that significantly enhances the material’s properties. This innovative material boasts a low coefficient of thermal expansion, high specific strength, and low density thanks to the gas-filled microballoons. The advantages of syntactic foam include: its resistance to water absorption, excellent buoyancy characteristics, good strength-to-weight ratio, and thermal insulation.
Syntactic foam is primarily used to aid buoyancy in underwater vehicles and deep-sea installations as well as in aerospace for its insulation properties. However, syntactic foam can be relatively expensive due to its specialized manufacturing processes and materials.
11. Ceramic Matrix Composite
Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are designed to overcome the brittleness and fracture sensitivity of conventional ceramics. Both the reinforcement (which consists of refractory fibers) and the matrix material are ceramic. In some cases, both are made of the same ceramic material while in other formulations, secondary fibers are added to enhance existing properties. Because of their unique compositions, CMCs fall under both composite material and ceramic categories.
By embedding ceramic fibers within a ceramic matrix, CMCs maintain the high-temperature resistance and hardness of ceramics while significantly improving toughness and resistance to thermal shock. These properties make CMCs ideal for applications in aerospace, defense, and energy sectors — particularly in components that get exposed to extreme temperatures and corrosive environments such as turbine blades and heat shields. The advantages of CMCs include their: exceptional durability at high temperatures, resistance to wear and corrosion, and lighter weight compared to metal alloys with similar capabilities. However, the manufacturing process is complex and costly, limiting their use to high-value applications.
12. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a strong, lightweight composite material that contains carbon fiber as reinforcement. Plastics or other polymers make up the matrix. CFRP is renowned for its outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. It is used in high-performance applications such as: automotive racing, aerospace, sporting goods, and wind turbine blades. It is also used to repair and strengthen reinforced concrete structures. The key benefits of CFRP include: exceptional tensile strength, stiffness, and resistance to fatigue and corrosion. However, the high cost of carbon fibers and the complexity of manufacturing processes are significant drawbacks. Compared to metals and other composites, CFRP offers unparalleled performance when weight reduction is more critical than minimizing costs.
13. Wood-Plastic Composite
Wood-plastic composite (WPC) is a durable material made from recycled plastic and wood fibers, and blends the properties of both. WPCs are commonly used in: decking, fencing, and outdoor furniture. The key benefits of WPC include: its use of waste materials, reduced environmental impact, and low maintenance costs compared to solid wood. On the downside, WPC can absorb moisture over time, leading to eventual decay (though this happens slower than with pure wood). Additionally, it faces challenges with: thermal expansion, time-dependent deformation (creep), and paint adhesion. Despite these drawbacks, WPC remains a popular, durable choice for eco-conscious construction and design projects, albeit at a higher initial cost than treated wood.
14. Metal Matrix Composites
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