Multiphase Continua, an Introduction

Abstract

Most modern electromagnetic devices owe a significant amount of their success to the tailored electromagnetic material behavior of the components that comprise them. A relatively inexpensive way to obtain macroscopically desired responses is to enhance an easy-to-form matrix material’s properties by introducing microscale particles possessing different electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical properties. (Figure 1.1). The particles are chosen to produce an overall desired electromagnetic effect. The aggregate response of the material is an outcome of the interaction between the smaller-scale (microstructure) constituents that comprise the “effective” material. In the construction of such materials, the basic philosophy is to select matrix/particle material combinations in order to produce desired aggregate responses. For example, in electromagnetic engineering applications, the classical choice is to add a particulate phase with suitable dielectric constants in order to modify the overall properties of an easily moldable base matrix material.