This paper reviews the potential of polymer and ceramic matrix composites for aerospace/space vehicle applications. Special, unique and multifunctional properties arising due to the dispersion of nanoparticles in ceramic and metal matrix are briefly discussed followed by a classification of resulting aerospace applications. The paper presents polymer matrix composites comprising majority of aerospace applications in structures, coating, tribology, structural health monitoring, electromagnetic shielding and shape memory applications. The capabilities of the ceramic matrix nanocomposites to providing the electromagnetic shielding for aircrafts and better tribological properties to suit space environments are discussed. Structural health monitoring capability of ceramic matrix nanocomposite is also discussed. The properties of resulting nanocomposite material with its disadvantages like cost and processing difficulties are discussed. The paper concludes after the discussion of the possible future perspectives and challenges in implementation and further development of polymer and ceramic nanocomposite materials.

The b-phase of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is well known for its piezoelectric properties. PVDF films have been developed using solvent cast method. The films thus produced are in a-phase. The a-phase is transformed to piezoelectric b-phase when the film is hotstretched with various different stretching factors at various different temperatures. The films are then characterized in terms of their mechanical properties and surface morphological changes during the transformation from a-to b-phases by using X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, Raman spectra, Infrared spectra, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The films showed increased crystallinity with stretching at temperature up to 808C. The optimum conditions to achieve b-phase have been discussed in detail. The fabricated PVDF sensors have been tested for free vibration and impact on plate structure, and its response is compared with conventional piezoelectric wafer type sensor. The resonant and antiresonant peaks in the frequency response of PVDF sensor match well with that of lead zirconate titanate wafer sensors. Effective piezoelectric properties and the variations in the frequency response spectra due to free vibration and impact loading conditions are reported. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 53:707-715, 2013. ª 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers

The paper presents the results of investigation on physical, mechanical and wear properties of SiC particulate reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite. The influence of reinforced ratios of 10, 15 and 20 wt. % of SiCp on mechanical properties and wear characters was examined. The effect of load and sliding velocity on wear behavior of composite was studied. It was observed that increase of weight fraction of reinforcement produced better physical and mechanical properties such as density and hardness with 37 µm SiC reinforced composite inspite of increased density the hardness drops above the critical sintering temperature of 550°C due to crazing of the matrix. With increased size of SiCp especially with higher temperature, density and hardness doesn’t supplement each other. Possible pooling/agglomeration in the case of medium and coarse sized reinforcement account for this. Wear decreases with increase in sintering temperature for 23 and 37 µm SiCp reinforced composites where as it increases for 67 µm SiCp reinforced composites. This could be attributed to formation of silanium compound contributing to discrete hardening of matrix. Wear tends to drop with sliding velocity being less contact between the pin and the disc but increases with normal load acting on the composite.