Group at IIT-KGP work towards increasing the applicability of composites
KGP Chronicle (October 25, 2019)
A composite approach
The Composites Group at IIT Kharagpur is working towards increasing the applicability of composites by an integrated approach to both the manufacturing and mechanics of composites
Had she known it, Greta Thunberg--the teenage Swedish environmental activist who has given up airline travel to cut down on her carbon footprint--would have been angry. The airline industry is far more polluting than she can imagine. The commercial aircraft industry relies on composite materials to produce lighter and more durable aircraft. But a large amount of waste is generated in the production process.
Composite materials, or composites as they are commonly known, are a class of materials in which polymers are reinforced with stiff fibres (usually glass or carbon). Carbon fibres can have extreme stiffness while the polymers hold together the fibres and distribute the stress. When combined together, composite materials are created that can be 10 times stronger than Aluminum but only half as heavy. (Read More)