Kompositiota

Kompositiota, commonly translated as composites, are materials formed by combining two or more distinct constituents to create a material with properties different from and typically superior to the individual components. In most composites, a matrix binds a reinforcement, which provides most of the strength and stiffness. Common matrices are polymer, ceramic, and metal systems, while reinforcements include fibers such as glass, carbon, or aramid, as well as particles or whiskers. The combination yields high strength-to-weight ratios, tailored stiffness, corrosion resistance, and design flexibility, while processing can be more complex and costly than for traditional materials.

The major classifications are by matrix: polymer matrix composites (PMCs), ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), and metal matrix composites (MMCs). By reinforcement, there are fiber-reinforced, particle-reinforced, and whisker-reinforced variants. Applications span aerospace, automotive, wind energy, construction, sports equipment, and electronics. Manufacturing methods include laminate layup and curing, filament winding, resin transfer molding, pultrusion, extrusion, and casting. The properties of a composite are tuned by selecting the matrix and reinforcement, the reinforcement volume fraction, and the orientation and distribution of reinforcement.

History and context: natural composites such as wood and bone predate modern engineering. Modern composites became prominent in the 20th century with materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. Environmental considerations include recyclability and end-of-life disposal, driving ongoing research into sustainable matrices and recycling routes.

In Finnish usage, komposiitti refers to these materials, with kompositiota functioning as a grammatical form in sentences.