Information on polymers

1. WHAT ARE PLOYMERS
polymer, any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very
large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical
units called monomers.
Polymers make up many of the materials in living organisms, including, for
example, proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids. Moreover, they constitute the basis
of such minerals as diamond, quartz, and feldspar and such man-made materials
as concrete, glass, paper, plastics, and rubbers.
These substances often form into a chain-like structure.
 Man-made polymers have been studied since 1832.
Today, the polymer industry has grown to be larger than the aluminum, copper
and steel industries combined.

2. WHAT ARE COMPOSITES
 composites are a combination of components. In our industry, composites are
materials made by combining two or more natural or artificial elements (with
different physical or chemical properties)
 The component materials don’t completely blend or lose their individual
identities; they combine and contribute their most useful traits to improve the
outcome or final product.
 Composites are typically designed with a particular use in mind, such as
added strength, efficiency or durability.
 A composite always contains at least one material serving
as reinforcement and one material serving as matrix (also referred to as
binder).
 The reinforcement phase is made of fibers and conveys desired
mechanical properties. The matrix phase encloses the reinforcement,
shields it from environmental influences, keeps it in place and helps to
distribute loads evenly over the structure.