A future problem, which has not been sufficiently addressed, is that of the vapors and smoke that are generated when the composite material is burned. Composite material is a great human achievement in materials science, however, as we use this material in more and more places, we must be very aware of the risks and possible consequences of its use. One risk is that many types of compounds give off poisonous gaseous compounds such as cyanide gas. Not all composite materials will do this, but some will.
Composite material has been a godsend for the aerospace industry, as the material is lightweight and very strong. Boeing announced its prospective hope to sell 200 7E7 aircraft in calendar year 2005. As early as December 2004, Japan Airlines committed to order 50 Boeing 7E7 aircraft. Boeing also recently received a commitment from Continental Airlines for billions of dollars in aircraft purchases between now and 2009 to secure a special price. The 7E7 is just over half composite and is the first airliner to contain that much composite. Through economies of scale, Boeing is determining ways robots build composite material to reduce labor costs and eliminate human error while standardizing on perfect, flawless manufacturing with less than a thousandth variance. of inch. This will allow for a rivetless aircraft, save thousands of pounds, and an unmatched smooth surface for absolute advantage in laminar airflows and parasitic drag reduction. Such precision has never been achieved so far.
Composite material has also been used in pipes due to its ability to go from hot to cold without the large expansion and compression that exists with metal pipes. With the right UV protection coatings, it’s the perfect material for this kind of thing. Boat hulls and boats with composite parts can also be great advantages and not have the corrosion problems that occur in salt water. Shipping companies with composite component ships will find that their maintenance costs are reduced for corrosion control and the life of the ships will be increased. Metal fatigue won’t be a problem either. Cars built with composites will be stronger and lighter, therefore safer, longer lasting, longer lasting, with better performance and better fuel economy. Bridges, structures, towers, antennas, and buildings are all good uses of composite materials and are often favored in the modern period. Skateboards, sports equipment, mars rovers, street signs and flag poles can all benefit from the characteristics of the composite material. The compound can also be made on robotic assembly lines. The compound comes without the high costs of mining iron ore or precious metals.
Composite is a great material and it really makes a lot of sense, but what about its other characteristics when it burns out? What happens when a lightweight, high-performance 7E7 skids off the end of a track and catches fire? What happens when a pipe breaks? Sure there will be less chance of sparks with such material, but what do you do when there are? For example, landing gear hits a fence and jet fuel leaks into hot engines? Will the passengers be safe once the fire starts emitting poisonous gases? What happens to a pipe made of composite material, which is ruptured by an attack by international terrorists? What about a car accident involving another car or truck with a spark-generating steel bumper or battery cable meeting fuel line break? Cars in accidents don’t usually burn to the ground, but it does happen. Any attempt to rescue victims could result in death from cyanide gas, first responders will need to get dressed prior to rescue, increasing the critical time period to save the occupants. No one knows this better than the firefighters at the US Military Airport who are trained in such things. The military has learned the hard way that the new composite materials, while with all their advantages, also have some serious and potentially fatal characteristics. Composite boats have incredible advantages for lifespan and maintenance costs, but a fire on board would be difficult to fight, and if it got out of control, it could be fatal for everyone on board.
We need to study how to use materials science to prevent toxins from burning compounds. A solution should be available that can be mixed into the material during fabrication and coating applied in the hardening process along with special post-fabrication ceramic coatings approximately 1-4 mils thick for weight-considering items. as a main factor. target and 10-12 Mils thick for things such as automobiles, railings, decks, boat interiors, etc. For things like railcars and pipes where the weight is fairly negligible, I suggest 10-20 mils of ceramic coating on all sides of the material, interior and exterior surfaces. By doing this, we can avoid unintended consequences when struck by Mother Nature, Murphy, bad luck, or even annoyances from international terrorists. Funding should be provided to universities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, Georgia, and Texas, which currently have materials science degrees available so that we can stay ahead and cover all bases. This research must be funded by the DOE, DARPA and DOT, we must accelerate this sector now to keep up with the advances and needs that we will see in the next five years. We must look at manufacturing, coatings, compound life, and all possible variations of the composite material. I propose that this be done to take us to the next step as we secure;
“Strength and Security now and always.”
