---
title: Polymers & Composites
description: This topic covers the structure, properties, and synthesis of polymeric materials and fiber-reinforced composites. Learners will understand how molecular architecture influences mechanical behavior and how to select these materials for structural applications.
category: engineering
subcategory: materials-science
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/polymers-and-composites
---

# Polymers & Composites

This topic covers the structure, properties, and synthesis of polymeric materials and fiber-reinforced composites. Learners will understand how molecular architecture influences mechanical behavior and how to select these materials for structural applications.

## Available Resources

2 Books • 1 Courses • 2 Websites

## Courses

### 1. Materials Science: 10 Things Every Engineer Should Know

**Author:** James F. Shackelford

Introductory UC Davis course taught by James Shackelford covering ten core topics in engineering materials: the main material families, mechanical and electrical properties, thermally activated processes and the Arrhenius relationship, and manufacturing principles. Learners come away understanding how a material's structure determines its properties.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/materials-science

**Tags:** materials-science, mechanical-properties, structure-property-relationships, engineering-materials, arrhenius-kinetics

## Websites

### 1. matweb.com

MatWeb is an online database of material properties with searchable data sheets for metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites, featuring mechanical properties such as tensile/yield strength, Young’s modulus, hardness, and related thermal/physical data.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://matweb.com

**Tags:** websites, engineering-manufacturing, material-science

### 2. compositesworld.com

CompositesWorld is a premier trade publication and information hub for polymer composites, offering news, technical articles, case studies, product guides, and industry insights on materials, processing, testing, and design across aerospace, automotive, wind, and marine sectors.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://compositesworld.com

**Tags:** websites, engineering-manufacturing, material-science

## Books

### 1. Composite Materials

**Author:** Autar K. Kaw

Undergraduate textbook on the mechanics of fiber-reinforced composites: lamina stress-strain relations, failure theories, classical lamination theory and laminate design. Readers learn to predict stiffness and strength of composite laminates, supported by worked examples and the PROMAL software.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0849396565?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, engineering-manufacturing, material-science

### 2. Polymer Physics

**Author:** Michael Rubinstein, Ralph H. Colby

Graduate-level text covering ideal and real chain conformations, polymer solution thermodynamics, scaling theory, networks and gels, and the Rouse, Zimm and reptation models of dynamics. Readers learn to derive and apply the core physical models of polymer behavior.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/019852059X?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, engineering-manufacturing, material-science

---

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