From the PrefaceThe purpose of this book is to present within a single volume, detailed information concerning the science, processing, applications, characterization and properties of composite materials reinforced with short fibres that have been oriented in a preferred direction by flows arising during processing. This book is intended to be useful to . . . materials scientists and other specialists in the field . . . and engineers, designers and producers of composites reinforced with short fibres. To our knowledge, this is the first time information pertaining to this important class of engineering materials has been systematically presented within a single volume. The purpose of aligning short fibres in a fibre-reinforced material is to improve the mechanical properties of the resulting composite. Aligning the fibres, generally in a preferred direction, allows them to contribute as much as possible to reinforcing the material. In some instances, the mechanical properties of these aligned, short-fibre composites can approach those of continuous-fibre composites, with the added advantage of low production costs and greater ease of production. The book covers theory, processing, characterization and properties. More specifically, the topics considered . . . include fibre alignment and material rheology; processes that can produce fibre alignment in polymeric, liquid crystal polymeric and metallic composites; materials characterization and mechanical properties; and modelling of processes and material properties.