Overview
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Read the articleAUTHORS
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Jean-François AGASSANT: Professor at the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris - Deputy Director, Centre de mise en forme des matériaux, École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris - Responsible for the Plastics section
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Christophe BINÉTRUY: Docteur-Ingénieur, Head of the Composites group at École des Mines de Douai - Head of Composites section
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Patricia KRAWCZAK: Professor at the École des Mines de Douai - Head of the Polymer and Composite Technology Department at École des Mines de Douai - Head of Composites section
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Marie-France LACRAMPE: Doctor-Engineer - Lecturer and researcher at École des Mines de Douai - Responsible for the Plastics section
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Gilbert VILLOUTREIX: Doctor of Physical Sciences - Professor at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers - Responsible for the Plastics Properties and Monographs section
INTRODUCTION
Largely derived from petroleum and formulated by chemists, statisticians and physicists to meet the growing demands of processors and their customers in terms of quality, reliability and safety, plastics or polymers are enjoying a flattering consumption trend than other materials. With production in France approaching 7 million tonnes, and annual growth in the region of 3 to 5%, the field covered by polymers is prosperous, both for consumer plastics and for more technical products.
Composite materials are extremely versatile, thanks to the wide variety of their constituents: thermoplastic and thermosetting matrices, fibers, textile reinforcements, additives, the great freedom of shapes and sizes, and the possibility of integrating functions. Because they can be shaped by adjusting their properties to the specific requirements of an application, they are the solutions of choice in sectors as varied as transport (automotive, aeronautics, rail, naval and pleasure craft), construction, mechanics, electrical engineering, sports and leisure, and paramedical equipment.
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