Polymer composites classification

Figure 13.1. Polymer composite classification scheme. (Sperling, 914d.)...

Plastics and polymer composites are much more expensive than metals, even more-specialized ones such as nickel. As for the specific mechanical properties, the high densities of metals modify the classification of the various materials. According to the cost per volume, plastics are competitive. Only the very high performance plastics or composites are more expensive than metals. 

Hopkins, A.R., and N.S. Lewis. 2001. Detection and classification characteristics of arrays of carbon black/organic polymer composite chemiresistive vapor detectors for the nerve agent stimulant dimethyl-methylphosphonate and diisopropylmethylphosponate. Analytical Chemistry 73(5) 884-892. 

In this chapter, recent progress in several key areas is reviewed. These areas are catagorized by material classification rather than by end-use application (1) bulk silica optics (2) optically active doped silica glasses (3) gel-polymer composites (4) organically modified silicates (ormosils) and (5) gradient-index glasses. These represent the five most significant developments in the area of bulk optical materials by the sol-gel process to date. 

Figure 21.5 Strategies for understanding nanomaterial enviromnental health and safely, toxicity and biological response include nanomaterial classihcalion, that is, compositional classification (metal, metal oxide, polymer, senticonductor, carbon-based, etc.) for a material that has one dimension between 1 and 100 mn chentical composition in terms of bulk and surface size considerations, primary and secondary (aggregate) sizes and geometric structure which includes shape and porosity.

Fig. 1 shows the system of classification of the concrete-polymer composites [1]. 

Figure 1 System of classification of concrete-polymer composites.

In materials science we often divide materials into distinct classes. The primary classes of solid materials are ceramics, metals, and polymers. This classification is based on the types of atoms involved and the bonding between them. The other widely recognized classes are semiconductors and composites. Composites are combinations of more than one material and often involve ceramics, such as fiberglass. Semiconductors are materials with electrical conductivities that are very sensitive to minute amounts of impurities. As we will see later, most materials that are semiconductors are actually ceramics, for example, gallium nitride, the blue-green laser diode material. 

Abstract This chapter describes vegetable oil-based polymer nanocomposites. It deals with the importance, comparison with conventional composites, classification, materials and methods, characterisation, properties and applications of vegetable oil-based polymer nanocomposites. The chapter also includes a short review of polymer nanocomposites of polyester, polyurethanes and epoxies based on different vegetable oils and nanomaterials. The chapter shows that the formation of suitable vegetable oil-based polymer nanocomposite can be considered to be a means of enhancing many of the desirable properties of such polymers or of obtaining materials with an intrinsically new set of properties which will extend their utility in a variety of advanced applications. Vegetable oil-based shape memory hyperbranched polyurethane nanocomposites can be sited as an exampie of such advanced products. 

Lignocellulosic polymer composites refer to the engineering materials in which polymers (procured from natural/petroleum resources) serve as the matrix while the lignocellulosic fibers act as the reinforcement to provide the desired characteristics in the resulting composite material. Polymer composites are primarily classified into two types (a) fiber-reinforced polymer composites and (b) particle-reinforced polymer composites. Figure 1.5 (a) shows the classification of polymer composites depending upon the type of reinforcement. 

Polymer composites are also classified into renewable/nonrenewable polymer composites depending upon the nature of the polymer/matrix [1, 13, 16]. Figure 1.5 (b) show the classification of polymer composites depending upon the renewable/nonrenewable nature. Polymer composites in which both components are obtained from biorenewable resources are referred to as 100% renewable composites, while composites in which at least one component is from a biorenewable resource are referred to as partly renewable polymer composites 1, 13, 16]. Chapter 4 of the book presents a review on the state-of-the-art of partly renewable polymer composites with a particular focus on the hybrid vegetable/glass fiber composites. This chapter summarizes the hybridization effect on the properties of the final thermoplastic and thermoset polymer matrices... 

Figure 1.5 (a) Classification of polymer composites, depending upon the reinforcement type [1,13,16]. 

Classification of Polymer Composites Reinforced with Natural Fibers... 

FIGURE 5.2.3 Classification of soft shape-memory materials from the viewpoint of nanoaivhitectonics. (a-c) Structures and (d) molecular mechanism, (a) Chemically cross-linked polymer network, (b) supramolecular network with clay nanosheets [29], and (c) inorganic/polymer composite network system, and their shape-memory profiles [30]. (d) The nanoscale molecular mechanism for one-way and two-way SME of a cross-linked semicrystalline polymer system. 

A general classification of concrete-polymer composites is given in Figure 5.8 [8]. 

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