They're Coming Down, So Expect to See More Ceramic, Metal Matrix Composites
Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) and metal matrix composites (MMCs) have long played an important role for the military and aerospace in protecting military vehicles, as well as spacecraft and space vehicles. But those aren't the only places you'll find these light and strong composites: they're showing up in less exotic places like commercial jet engines and industrial turbines, plus all kinds of electronics.
Until recently, both materials groups were used sparsely in a few high-end niche applications because of their high cost, a result both of the materials and the complexity of manufacturing processes.
