3 ms·

Wouldn't that just raise the density of the structure and defeat the purpose?

• Brian_K_White 3y ago
  Depends on the material. Matrixes are certainly a proven value. horse hair in plaster, carbon fiber or glass fiber in resin, rebar in concrete, are all better than either of their individual components. A supporting filler could increase the toughness, supporting the filaments against buckling, or there could be other values like filling the space to prevent moisture or oxygen from getting in there, etc.
• natpalmer1776 3y ago
  I mean, maybe you can fill it with something that changes the thermal conductivity of the matrix, maybe something that has minimal weight but improves the compressive resistance, etc.
• blagie 3y ago
  Hydrogen or helium would decrease the density, but I digress. In most cases, composites have complementary materials. You would need less titanium if it was reinforced with something else. Examples: - Most common are materials like carbon fiber, ceramic, or aramid. - Another failure mode is denting (or localized impact damage). If I make a tube, as here, the thinner the wall and wider the radius, the stronger it is as a unit. However, at some point, it's easy to crush it like an aluminium can. Cover the inside with a polyurethane foam, and that failure mode goes away, or at least dramatically decreases, for very little added weight. - I might care about things like thermals. Etc.