Composite

A composite is a material made up of two or more different substances that have been combined to create a new material with properties that are different from those of the individual substances. The term “composite” can refer to both the resulting material and the process of creating it.

The history of composites dates back thousands of years, to when people first began combining different materials to create new ones. For example, early humans used natural fibers such as grass and tree bark to make crude baskets and other objects. In ancient Egypt, plaster was used as a filler in stone walls; in China, straw was used as a reinforcement in mud bricks.

Composites were also used extensively in traditional boatbuilding cultures, such as those found in Polynesia and Scandinavia. In these cultures, composite materials were often created by laminating (gluing) together layers of different materials such as wood, bone, animal hide, and plant fibers. This technique is still used today in the construction of modern boats and other vehicles.

The use of synthetic (man-made) materials in composites began in the early 20th century with the development of Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic. Bakelite was soon followed by other synthetic plastics such as cellulose acetate and polystyrene. These new materials allowed for the creation of stronger and lighter composites than had previously been possible.

During World War II, research into composites accelerated due to their potential military applications. One famous example is the de Havilland Mosquito aircraft, which was constructed largely from wood because metals were in short supply at that time. After the war ended, this technology was adapted for civilian use; for instance, fiberglass-reinforced plastics (FRPs) became widely used in building construction and automobile manufacturing during the 1950s-60s..