We learned earlier that composites tend to be brittle and that metals are generally ductile. How does that affect the production and design process? Hannah Hypothesis investigates.

Materials

• A thin strip of metal
• A piece of composite material. For instance, a well dried out papier mache creation made with tissue paper and glue, or wetted and then dried Plaster of Paris tape. If you use a piece of carbon fiber, please wear gloves as the carbon fiber splinters and getting them out of your skin is not a pleasant experience!
• Rubber hammer

Instructions

1. Try and bend the each material into a 90 degree angle, for instance, by bending it over the edge of a work bench using a rubber hammer.
2. The metal should easily bend, but the composite material should break or shatter.