Mechanics of Composite Materials

MECHANICS OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Transforming Composite Materials Education for STEM College Students

Page Numbers of Book: Pages 45-46 Ceramic Matrix Composites

Last Accessed: October 3, 2012

Summary: This video compares traditional porcelain insulators with silicon composite insulators for high voltage circuit breakers. They perform a test simulating failure of the insulator. It was pressurized and a gunshot was fired at the insulator. The porcelain insulator fails catastrophically, exploding into many pieces that fly out up to 60 meters from the explosion. The composite insulator only suffers a small crack and remains mostly intact. This dramatic example shows the strength advantage that composites have over traditional ceramics. Additionally, it offers better insulation and is lighter for ease of transportation. Overall, the composite insulator is safer and more reliable than the original.

Author: Adam Wolfe

Questions, suggestions or comments, contact kaw@usf.edu

Introduction to Composite Materials is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.