Concept:
An engineered composite material consists structurally of two primary components or phases:
• Matrix Phase: The continuous, surrounding background medium that holds everything together and distributes external loads.
• Dispersed/Reinforcement Phase: The discontinuous phase embedded within the matrix designed to augment mechanical, structural, or thermal characteristics (e.g., fibers, particulates).
Step 1: Matching Phase Geometry to Nomenclature
The phase tasked with surrounding, binding, protecting, and keeping the structural orientation of the reinforcement intact is structurally defined as the matrix phase. Reinforcements like fibers or dispersoids are isolated particles or threads floating inside this continuous domain.