ABSTRACT
This chapter represents one of the major disadvantages of polymer composites. For most traditional engineering materials, such as metals, wood, and concrete, there are centuries' worth of experience and compiled property data for the designer to draw upon. In contrast, for polymers and even more so for fiber-reinforced polymers there is a remarkable scarcity of comprehensive information on properties of both constituents and composites. The chapter provides some basic and largely representative thermal and mechanical composite properties. For a matrix to be able to perform its tasks of supporting and protecting the reinforcement a number of properties are of relevance. The most pertinent mechanical properties are usually moduli and strengths in tension, compression, and shear, while ultimate strain and fracture toughness may also be important. One of the major disadvantages of composites is that it is difficult to obtain comprehensive and reliable design data.
