High performance composites are normally fabricated from continuous fiber and fabric reinforcements embedded in a thermosetting resin. Currently, thermoplastics are receiving considerable attention as matrix materials in structural composites. These thermoplastic composites can be fabricated by novel techniques which are less cumbersome and potentially faster than curing in an autoclave. In this paper, fabrication techniques and physical properties of thermosetting composites will be compared. Applications where thermoplastic composites are particularly well suited will be presented.
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