9
1
. Table 1.3 Conventional materials replaced by polymeric composites [7, 8]
Serial no.
Product
Polymeric composites
Earlier materials
1.
Boat hulls
Glass fibre-reinforced epoxy or
polyester composite
Steel or wood
2.
Airframes
Glass or carbon fibre- reinforced
epoxy/polyimide composite
Aluminium/
titanium/
maraging steel
3.
Front and back spoiler of automobile
Glass fibre-reinforced
polyester/polypropylene
composite
Steel
4.
Fuselage of fighter aircrafts
Carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy
composite
Aluminium
5.
Artificial limbs and
Calipers
Glass or carbon fibre- reinforced
epoxy/polyester/polypropylene
composites
Aluminium/
steel/titanium
6.
Bulletproof panels
Ultra-high-molecular-weight
polyethylene (UHMWPE)
(UHMWPE) fibre-reinforced
composites or Kevlar- reinforced
epoxy composite
Ballistic grade
steel
1.3 · Influencing Parameters in Processability