Advanced and composite materials

CSIRO develops new, composite materials that improve the design and fabrication of products, introducing new qualities such as biodegradability and fire resistance.

• 25 February 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Creating new materials
• Our research

Every day brand new materials are invented with unprecedented characteristics, thanks to advances in composite material science.

These materials can be used to develop new components for existing or entirely new consumer goods.

Applications for these materials include:

• construction
• packaging 
• aerospace
• defence.

Creating new materials

New advanced, hybrid, and composite materials are created through analysing the structure, properties or behaviours of natural and human-made materials. 

These materials can incorporate:

• foams
• foils
• metals
• woods
• fibres
• adhesives
• mineral nanoparticles.

Often it is the blending of these materials that leads to the creation of new materials with improved qualities such as:

• fire resistance
• biodegradability
• super strength
• flexibility
• lightness
• corrosion resistance
• sound damping.

Our research

CSIRO research into advanced materials and composites covers many areas, including:

• amorphous materials
• composite materials
• hybrid materials
• nanomaterials.

Find out more about our research into Advanced & Composite Materials.