Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Composite Materials: Properties and Applications

In course

MSE-440: Composites technology

The latest developments in processing and the novel generations of organic composites are discussed. Nanocomposites, adaptive composites and biocomposites are presented. Product development, cost analysis and study of new markets are practiced in team work ...

Description

This lecture introduces the concept of composite materials, covering topics such as the types of composites, their processing, and applications. It also explores sustainability strategies, cost modeling, and the circular economy in relation to composite production. Students will learn about advanced composites, nanocomposites, smart composites, and various application examples.

This video is available exclusively on Mediaspace for a restricted audience. Please log in to MediaSpace to access it if you have the necessary permissions.

Watch on Mediaspace

Instructors (3)

Martyn Douglas Wakeman

Dr. Martyn Wakeman is a seasoned professional in advanced composites with a proven record of 20 yrs, spanning academia and global corporations. He has worked in M&A deep dive projects in the Advanced Composites Space and has a proven publication (80 ) and patent (30) history in the development of continuous fibre thermoplastic composites from formulation, processing, to applications. He is currently attached at 50% to the Laboratory for Processing of Advanced Composites at the EPFL focused on 3D printing and advanced composites and also available as an independent consultant. Prior to this role he worked at DuPont from 2007-2016 in Geneva, Switzerland where he worked to drive the development strategy and led research of the DuPont Vizilon thermoplastic composites offer including continuous carbon and glass reinforced composites. From 1997 to 2007 he was a Scientific Collaborator at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, EPFL, in which he was Head of the Composite and Polymer Laboratory's "Industrial implementation group", located in the EPFL science park, focused on the automotive industry both in Europe and North America. He has a PhD in mechanical engineering focused on composites.

Pierre-Etienne Bourban

Background 1990 Ingénieur en science des matériaux 1993 PhD in materials science Activities 1993-1994 Research at the Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware, USA (ccm.udel.edu), SNSF grant Since 1994 Research and teaching at EPFL, Composites, (LTC, LPAC) 1995-1999 Coordination Swiss Priority Program on Materials research: 2.2: Composites Since 1998 Biocomposites 2004-2009 Direction of the EPFL Transdisciplinary programme in Sport and Rehabilitation 2005-2008 Member of the EPFL Vice-Presidency for Innovation and Valorisation and direction a.i.EPFL-LTC Since 2016 Direction Discovery Learning Labs Materials/Bioengineering and Engineering

Véronique Michaud

Background: 1994 Habilitation à diriger des recherches ( INPG, France) 1991 PhD in Materials Engineering ( MIT, USA) 1987 Ingénieur Civil des Mines ( Ecole des Mines de Paris, France) Activities: Since January 2018: Associate Dean of Engineering, in charge of Education June 2012-Dec.2017: Head of the Materials Science and Engineering Section Since April 2017: Associate Professor at EPFL 2009-2017 : Professeur Titulaire at EPFL 1997-2009: Researcher at EPFL 1994-1997 : Chef de Travaux au laboratoire MSS-MAT, Ecole Centrale Paris (France) 1991-1994 : Post-doctoral research associate, MIT (USA) Author of about 300 publications of which 140 in peer-reviewed journals

Official source

Related concepts (29)

Composite material

A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or physical properties and are merged to create a material with properties unlike the individual elements. Within the finished structure, the individual elements remain separate and distinct, distinguishing composites from mixtures and solid solutions.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long time. Specific definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Experts often describe sustainability as having three dimensions (or pillars): environmental, economic, and social, and many publications emphasize the environmental dimension. In everyday use, sustainability often focuses on countering major environmental problems, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, loss of ecosystem services, land degradation, and air and water pollution.

Sustainability measurement

Sustainability measurement is a set of frameworks or indicators to measure how sustainable something is. This includes processes, products, services and businesses. Sustainability is difficult to quantify. It may even be impossible to measure. To measure sustainability, the indicators consider environmental, social and economic domains. The metrics are still evolving. They include indicators, benchmarks and audits. They include sustainability standards and certification systems like Fairtrade and Organic.

Sustainable development

Sustainable development is an organizing principle that aims to meet human development goals while also enabling natural systems to provide necessary natural resources and ecosystem services to humans. The desired result is a society where living conditions and resources meet human needs without undermining the planetary integrity and stability of the natural system. Sustainable development tries to find a balance between economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being.

Weak and strong sustainability

Although related, sustainable development and sustainability are two different concepts. Weak sustainability is an idea within environmental economics which states that 'human capital' can substitute 'natural capital'. It is based upon the work of Nobel laureate Robert Solow, and John Hartwick. Contrary to weak sustainability, strong sustainability assumes that 'human capital' and 'natural capital' are complementary, but not interchangeable. This idea received more political attention as sustainable development discussions evolved in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Related lectures (47)

Sustainable Materials: Lifecycle, Properties, and Design

Explores material lifecycle, properties, sustainability, and design, emphasizing the importance of auditing products for sustainability and discussing the evaluation of consumer products like LEGO.

Climate & Sustainability Action Week

Delves into EPFL's Climate & Sustainability Action Week, a collaborative 5-day program focusing on methods, outcomes, emotional expression, and team work.

Composite Materials: State of the Art and Design Process

Explores the state of the art in composite materials and guides students through a design process resembling a startup, emphasizing global thinking in composite processing.

Design for Sustainability I: Documentation and Assessment

Emphasizes the documentation and assessment of sustainability frameworks-in-action for project blueprints.

Sustainable Strategies: Schwarz Group