Materials science is of paramount importance to any industry. One of the most costly material research and investment areas is the space and aviation industry.
Composite materials used in aviation are at the forefront as materials that give the best results in terms of strength / lightness. Looking at the aircraft and space industry, it is seen that the first aircraft and spacecraft designed were made of metal and steel alloys. However, over the years, these alloys have not been preferred due to reasons such as having high density, being exposed to corrosion, and high electrical conductivity. As an alternative to these metal and steel alloys, composite structures, discovered with the advancement of technology and chemistry, are increasingly used.
The new material produced by combining two or more materials with different physical properties with certain methods and having more advanced properties than these materials is defined as “composite material”.
Composite materials generally consist of two different layers; the reinforcement material acting as a carrier and the matrix that holds and supports this material together.
Composites used in aerospace structures have many advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
• They are very light compared to traditional materials,
• High fatigue resistance (Fatigue Resistance),
• Its fire resistance is high,
• Corrosion resistance is high,
• They can be produced in complex shapes,
• They can be produced in large pieces.
Disadvantages:
• They are more expensive than traditional materials,
• Strength properties are not equal in all directions,
• Depends on the direction of the reinforcement material,
• In some cases maintenance is more difficult,
• The quality of the material depends on the quality of the production,
• There is no standard quality.
In addition to these materials, the situation where the production stage, maintenance and expertise of composites are quite difficult should be added to their disadvantages.
When a general comparison is made, it can be easily understood from the increasing use of composites that it is clearly a better choice compared to other metal and steel alloys. With the technology to be developed and the number of competent engineers to increase, it can be predicted that the position of composites in current conditions will go further and develop further. Alternative searches continue as always. Where steel was the representative of strength a hundred years ago, now there are composites. This situation may change with another material or alternative that can be discovered in the future. Perhaps we can witness the peak periods of composites when it is possible to obtain them cheaper with advanced methods.
Stay science and knowledge.
Engineer For Space 