Fabric Reinforced Filled Epoxy Composites

Abstract

Among composites, the polymer matrix ones are the cheapest and the easiest to form but they show major disadvantages such as poor electrical and thermal conductivity, low fire resistance etc. In the case of any composite, some of the properties may be designed, some of them may be obtained by using an appropriate forming technique and, at least, some of them may be improved by special treatments. In the case of polymer matrix composites, the first two ways are recommended if we are taking into account the polymers’ properties while the last one will turn the PMC into an expensive material due to the costs of metal or oxide thin film deposition on polymeric surface. Filling the matrix before its use on forming reinforced composites could lead to an improvement of one or more mechanical, electrical or thermal properties.