Contents



Preface

Composite materials have played an important role throughout human history, from housing early civilizations to enabling future innovations. Composites offer many benefits, key among them being corrosion resistance, design flexibility, durability, light weight, and strength. Composites have permeated our everyday lives through products that are used in construction, medical applications, oil and gas, transportation, sports, aerospace, consumer products, and much more. Over the last decades, nanotechnology has become a rapidly evolving technology. As such, science, engineering, and technology have merged to bring nanoscale materials that much closer to reality. This is one of the fastest growing areas for research. Nanocomposite materials are helping improve products that we use every day and creating new, exciting products for the future. Composites and nanocomposites composed of reinforcements, nano-reinforcements, and matrices

are well-known engineering materials. Various reinforcements and nano-

properties in different ways.

enhance their use.

paperboard industry.

reinforcements used in the materials have different properties and thus affect their

Keeping in mind the advantages of composite and nanocomposite materials, this book covers fundamental affects, product developments, and applications of the materials including material chemistry, designing, manufacturing, properties, and utilization of the materials in various applications. The book consists of 12 chapters that summarize recently developed research concerning composites and nanocomposites. Each chapter gives an overview of a particular material, its processing, and successful utilization for selected applications. The book also summarizes the recent developments made in the area of advanced composite and nanocomposite materials. Several critical issues and suggestions for future work are discussed, underscoring the roles of researchers for the efficient development of composites and nanocomposites through value additions to

Chapter 1, "Introduction to composite materials," addresses the advantages of composite materials as well as fundamental effects, product developments, and applications of composites, including material chemistry, designing, manufacturing, properties, and utilization of the materials in various applications. Composites offer many benefits and have permeated our everyday lives; however, to facilitate the advantages of the composites, several aspects must be considered: (a) concept development, (b) material selection and formulation, (c) material design, (d) product

Chapter 2, "Introduction of natural fiber composite using in paperboard industry," addresses the mechanical properties, chemical compositions, crystallinity, and thermal stability of the newly developed composites. The results are analyzed to ensure the suitability of natural fiber as an optional fiber-material for the

Chapter 3, "Advanced treatments of aramid fibers for composite laminates," is an overview of the aramid fibers, an important group of fibers for composite

manufacturing, (e) market, and (f) regulations.
