Engineered composites expert witnesses may opine on vinyl chloride polymers, electroactive polymers, and functional polymers, among other topics. Here, The American Composites Manufacturing Association defines composites.
Not all plastics are composites. In fact, the majority of plastics today are pure plastic, like toys and soda bottles. When additional strength is needed, many types of plastics can be reinforced (usually with reinforcing fibers). This combination of plastic and reinforcement can produce some of the strongest materials for their weight that technology has ever developed…and the most versatile.
Therefore, composites, also referred to as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is a combination of a:
* Polymer matrix resin, sometimes referred to as plastic, (either thermoplastic or thermoset resin, such as polyester, isopolyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, phenolic) and a * Fiber reinforcement such as glass, carbon, aramid or other reinforcing material such that there is a sufficient aspect ratio (length to thickness) to provide a discernable reinforcing function in one or more directions.d more.