Carbon fiber reinforced polymer as epoxy, but other thermoset or thermoplastic polymers, such as polyester, vinyl ester, or nylon, are sometimes used. The composite material may contain aramid (e.g. Kevlar, Twaron), ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), aluminium, or glass fibers in addition to carbon fibers. The properties of the final CFRP product can also be affected by the type of additives introduced to the binding matrix (resin). The most common additive is silica, but other additives such as rubber and carbon nanotubes can be used. The material is also referred to as "graphite-reinforced polymer" or "graphite fiber-reinforced polymer" ("GFRP" is less common, as it clashes with
Polymer characterization Polymer characterization Polymer characterization is the analytical branch of polymer science. The discipline is concerned with the characterization of polymeric materials on a variety of levels. The characterization typically has as a goal to improve the performance of the material. As such, many characterization techniques should ideally be linked to the desirable properties of the material such as strength, impermeability, thermal stability, and optical properties. Characterization techniques are typically used to determine molecular mass, molecular structure, morphology, thermal properties, and mechanical properties. The molecular mass of a polymer differs from typical molecules, in that polymerization reactions produce a distribution of