Your learning on this unit
Overview of content
This unit will provide students with a fundamental understanding of composite materials, focusing on the choice of constituents, manufacture of laminates, and assessment of sustainability. An understanding of the microstructure and the effect of processing on fibre/matrix interface and structure-property relationships will be developed. The unit will enable students to develop a sustainability mindset, making use of life cycle assessment and circular economy concepts and frameworks when performing critical analysis of different materials and systems.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
After completing this unit, students will have gained specialist knowledge on advanced polymer composites and be able to assess them in terms of their sustainability and environmental impact.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
describe composite constituents, manufacturing routes, applications, and failure theories;
discuss the chemistry of crosslinking and the methods used to process polymer matrices for the manufacture of advanced composites;
summarise the types of fibre and matrix, their structure, and properties commonly used in advanced polymer composites;
differentiate manufacturing methods for advanced composites and critique their sustainability;
describe and apply methods for life cycle assessment (LCA) and the circular economy in the context of composites;
critically analyse the use of the term ‘sustainability’ in the context of industrial growth and economic development;
evaluate and debate state-of-the-art research in sustainable composites.
