Editing Materials science (section)

===Composites===
{{Main|Composite material}}
[[File:Cfaser haarrp.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|A 6&nbsp;μm diameter carbon filament (running from bottom left to top right) sitting atop the much larger human hair]]
Another application of materials science in industry is making [[composite material]]s. These are structured materials composed of two or more macroscopic phases.

Applications range from structural elements such as steel-reinforced concrete, to the thermal insulating tiles, which play a key and integral role in NASA's [[Space Shuttle thermal protection system]], which is used to protect the surface of the shuttle from the heat of re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. One example is [[reinforced Carbon-Carbon]] (RCC), the light gray material, which withstands re-entry temperatures up to {{convert|1510|C|F}} and protects the Space Shuttle's wing leading edges and nose cap.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Green |first=D. |title=MILCOM 2005 – 2005 IEEE Military Communications Conference |chapter=IPV6 BEnefits to the Warfighter |chapter-url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/milcom.2005.1606007 |year=2005 |pages=1–6 |publisher=IEEE |doi=10.1109/milcom.2005.1606007|isbn=0-7803-9393-7 |s2cid=31152759 }}</ref> RCC is a laminated composite material made from [[graphite]] [[rayon]] cloth and impregnated with a [[phenolic resin]]. After [[Curing (chemistry)|curing]] at high temperature in an [[autoclave]], the [[laminate]] is [[Pyrolysis|pyrolized]] to convert the resin to carbon, impregnated with [[furfuryl alcohol]] in a vacuum chamber, and cured-pyrolized to convert the furfuryl alcohol to carbon. To provide oxidation resistance for reusability, the outer layers of the RCC are converted to [[silicon carbide]].

Other examples can be seen in the "plastic" casings of television sets, cell-phones and so on. These plastic casings are usually a composite material made up of a [[thermoplastic]] matrix such as [[acrylonitrile butadiene styrene]] (ABS) in which [[calcium carbonate]] chalk, [[talc]], [[glass fiber]]s or [[carbon fiber]]s have been added for added strength, bulk, or [[Electrostatics#Static electricity and chemical industry|electrostatic dispersion]]. These additions may be termed reinforcing fibers, or dispersants, depending on their purpose.