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Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineering materials made from two or more components. One component is often a strong fibre such as fiberglass, quartz, kevlar, Dyneema or carbon fibre that gives the material its tensile strength, while another component (called a matrix) is often a resin such as polyester or epoxy that binds the fibres together, transferring load from broken fibers to unbroken ones and between fibers that are not oriented along lines of tension. Also, unless the matrix chosen is especially flexible, it prevents the fibers from buckling in compression. Some composites use an aggregate instead of, or in addition to, fibers.
In terms of stress, any fibers serve to resist tension, the matrix serves to resist shear, and all materials present serve to resist compression, including any aggregate.
Shocks or repeated cyclic stresses can cause the fibers to separate from the matrix, a condition known as delamination.
Examples of composite materials:
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