Composites and Technical Textiles

What Are Composite Materials?

Composite materials are engineered by combining two or more different materials. One material acts as the reinforcement (providing strength or stiffness) and the other acts as the matrix (binding the reinforcement together and protecting it). Neither component alone has all the properties of the finished composite. This is why composites can outperform conventional metals or polymers for specific applications.

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) combines carbon fibre strands with a polymer matrix — typically epoxy resin. Carbon fibres are made by heating polyacrylonitrile (PAN) at high temperatures in a controlled atmosphere until most non-carbon atoms are driven off, leaving a fibre that is almost pure carbon. These fibres have very high tensile strength and stiffness but are brittle on their own. The epoxy resin matrix binds the fibres, distributes loads between them and protects them from impact and chemical attack.

CFRP is significantly lighter than steel for the same structural strength, making it essential in applications where weight saving is critical. Airbus uses CFRP extensively in modern commercial aircraft — the wings and fuselage sections of aircraft such as the A350 are predominantly CFRP, reducing aircraft weight and therefore fuel consumption per passenger. It is also used in Formula 1 monocoques, high-performance bicycle frames and sporting equipment.

Kevlar (Para-Aramid Fibre)

Kevlar is a synthetic para-aramid fibre developed by DuPont. It has exceptionally high tensile strength — around five times stronger than steel by weight — and outstanding toughness (resistance to tearing and impact). Unlike CFRP, Kevlar is not brittle; it absorbs energy by deforming rather than shattering. This makes it the preferred material for personal protective equipment: body armour (bullet-resistant vests), cut-resistant gloves for food processing and industrial use, and motorcycle protective clothing.

Kevlar is also used as reinforcement in composite structures where impact resistance is important — for example, in the hulls of racing kayaks and in aerospace structures where bird-strike resistance is required. It can be combined with carbon fibre in a hybrid composite to balance stiffness (from CFRP) with toughness (from Kevlar).

Glass-Reinforced Plastic (GRP)

Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) uses glass fibre as the reinforcement within a polyester or epoxy resin matrix. It is cheaper and easier to manufacture than CFRP. GRP is corrosion-resistant, mouldable into complex shapes and has a good strength-to-weight ratio (though lower than CFRP). It is used for boat hulls, surf and kayak shells, car body panels (notably on classic sports cars), storage tanks and low-cost architectural cladding panels.

Technical Textiles

Technical textiles are designed for performance rather than appearance. They are engineered to meet specific requirements in demanding applications: protection, filtration, moisture management or structural reinforcement.

Geotextiles

Geotextiles are permeable fabrics used in civil engineering. They are laid in the ground to separate, filter, reinforce or drain soil. A road built over soft ground may have a geotextile layer between the sub-soil and the gravel base to prevent mixing while still allowing water to drain through. Geotextiles are typically made from polypropylene or polyester and are produced in woven or non-woven forms depending on the required balance of strength and permeability.

Micro-Fibres

Micro-fibres are very fine synthetic fibres. Denier measures how fine a fibre is, not how wide it is, and a micro-fibre is finer than one denier — finer than a strand of silk. The fine structure creates a very dense weave with billions of tiny air pockets, making micro-fibre fabrics soft, lightweight and highly effective at moisture management. They are used in sports clothing (wicking away sweat to keep athletes dry and comfortable), in microfibre cleaning cloths (the fine fibres mechanically trap dirt and bacteria without needing chemical cleaners), and in waterproof breathable membranes.

Interactive and Wearable Textile Electronics

Wearable electronics embed electronic functionality into textiles without making them rigid or unwearable. Methods include: weaving conductive metallic yarns into fabric to create circuits; attaching flexible printed circuit boards to the textile; and integrating sensors, LEDs or heating elements directly into clothing. Applications include: sports performance garments with heart rate and motion sensors; heated motorcycle and ski clothing; and electroluminescent safety vests for cyclists and construction workers.

The key challenge in wearable electronics is durability — the electronics must survive washing, stretching and the mechanical stresses of wear. Encapsulation (covering components in a flexible protective coating) and careful choice of washable conductive materials are the main technical solutions.