Composites can be used to improve rural India: Kakodkar

Hyderabad, Nov 24 (UNI) Observing that the country had witnessed increased use of composites in space, missile and aircraft development programmes, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar today called for use of natural composite materials to improve the job opportunities for rural masses.

Composites built of natural fibres were biodegradable and environment-friendly and had wide applications in the rural areas, Mr Kakodkar pointed out while delivering the keynote address at the fifth National Conference on composites organised by the Indian Society for Advanced Materials and Process Engineering and the Advanced Systems Laboratory, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Employment generation potential of the technology should be exploited for the benefit of the rural masses, he emphasised adding that a very good market was there for furniture made out of bamboo fibres and buildings constructed with composite material.

Noting that there was a huge demand for composite sports goods, he said ''given the knowledge and technical expertise, we should organise ourselves and take advantage of composites.'' Over the years there had been a spectacular growth in composite products and their application in defence, aerospace, transportation and other commercial products, he noted.

Earlier, Advanced Systems Laboratory Director D S Avinash Chander said, ''Mimicking nature has been part of mankind's technology, more so in composite materials. Wood with cellulose fibre in lignin and human bone with collagen in soft protein are good examples of micro and nano composites.'' The new generation missiles systems would have to be lighter, faster and smarter with multi functions and composite materials had a major role to play in developing such a system, Dr Avinash Chander, Director of the Integrated Missiles Development programme said.

Apart from high-end applications, other initiatives included composite floating hotel, high speed patrol boats, railway girders, buses, wind blades, he said adding that the emergence of nano technologies and carbon nanotubes would further revolutionise composite applications.

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