Composite Materials

E NGINE E RING MATE RIALS

Dr. ANE E LA WAKE E L

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 1

Contents
➢Definition ➢Types of Composites
➢Introduction ➢Manufacturing Techniques
➢Examples in Nature ➢Properties Comparison
➢Man-Made examples ➢Advantages
➢History ➢Disadvantages
➢Applications ➢Numerical Problems

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Composite Materials Definition
➢Composite materials are those solid materials composed of more than one
component in separate phases (Different Shape, Chemical composition, and
insoluble in each other).

➢The components include a binder or matrix that surrounds and holds in place
reinforcements. Mixture of two or more solid materials that are mechanically
separable, at least in theory, and possessing complementary properties.

➢Significant Properties: high strength to weight ratio, corrosion-free,

Crashworthiness, better fatigue and stiffness than conventional materials.

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Components of composite materials
Nearly all composite materials consist of two phases:
Matrix- the primary phase within which the reinforcement is imbedded.
Reinforcement- imbedded phase or the secondary phase
it usually serves to strengthen the composite

Roles of components of composite materials

Matrix Reinforcement
Give shape to composite Give stiffness and strength
Protect reinforcement from environment Give other mechanical properties
Transfer load to reinforcement Dominate thermal properties
Contribute to composite properties Properties depend on phase interaction

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Natural Occurring Composites Examples
➢Wood
➢Bone with muscles
➢Bone itself
➢Mother-of-pearl or Nacre

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Man-Made Composites Examples
➢Golf Clubs
➢Badminton and Tennis rackets
➢Helmets
➢Fluid Tanks
➢Wind turbine blades
➢Fiberglass Boats

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Historical development of composites
Historical Development of Composites
Adobe Bricks (Clay/Mud and Straw) by Israelites in 1500 BC.
Mongol composite bows (Wood, Animal glue, and birch bark)
➢The First Generation (1940s and 1950s):
Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRPs)
Age of glass fibers
➢Second Generation (1960s):
High Performance Composites in the post-Sputnik Era
Age of advanced fibers
➢Third Generation (1970s and 1980s):
The Search for New Markets and for the Synergy of Properties
Age of MMCs and CMCs
➢Fourth Generation (1990s onwards):
Hybrids and Nano-composites
Age of biomimetics

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Applications of Composite Materials
➢Civil Infrastructure
➢Transportation Industry
➢Marine Industry
➢Sports Goods
➢Aviation and Aerospace
➢Energy Sector
➢Military Applications

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Civil Infrastructure Applications

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Transportation Industry Applications

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Marine Industry Applications

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Sports Goods Applications

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Aviation and Aerospace Applications

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Energy Sector Applications

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Military Applications

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Types of Composites

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Classification based on Matrices
Composite
materials

Matrices

Polymer Matrix Metal Matrix Ceramic Matrix

Composites (PMC) Composites MMC) Composites (CMC)

Thermoset Thermoplastic Rubber

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Classification based on Reinforcement

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Non-Conventional Composites
➢Nano-Composites: can be polymer, metal or ceramic composite and at least one component of
is of nano scale such as nano-clay or carbon nano tube (CNT).
➢Self-Healing Composites: microcapsules of healing agents are used in the matrix that can fill up
the cracks in the composite material.
➢Self-Reinforced Composites: reinforcement of polymer matrix is itself reinforced with particles
or oriented fibers of same polymer.
➢Bio-Composites: at least one component is nature-derived like bamboo fiber, cottons or natural
resins. Biodegradable, renewable, cheap but high moisture absorption.
➢Laminates: multilayered composites. For example, multiple layers of metal sheets and polymer
composites. Multilayered Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) like Laminated Glass (multiple layers of
glass with thin polymer sheets).

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Matrix-based Composite Types

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Polymer-Matrix Composites
➢Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Composites
➢Glass Fiber as reinforcement. (Continuous or Discontinuous) (Types of Glass fiber: C glass, E glass, S glass
and quartz) (Not very stiff and rigid) (Automobiles, marine bodies, storage containers, plastic pipes, and
industrial flooring)

➢Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Composites

➢Carbon fiber as reinforcement. (High specific modulus and strength at high temperatures) (Pressure
vessels, aerospace, and sports equipment)

➢Aramid Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

➢Aramid fiber (Strong heat resistant synthetic fiber) as reinforcement for example Kevlar. (High toughness
and impact strength with resistance to creep and fatigue failure) (Bullet Proof vests & armor, missile
cases, and clutch linings)

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Metal-Matrix Composites
Reinforcement Matrix Applications
Aluminum Satellite, missile, and helicoter structures
Magnesium Space and satellite structures
Graphite
Lead Storage-battery plates
Copper Electrical contacts and bearings
Aluminum Compressor blades and structural supports
Boron Magnesium Antenna structures
Titanium Jet-engine fan blades
Superconductor restraints in fission power
Aluminum
reactors
Alumina Lead Storage-battery plates
Magnesium Helicopter transmission structures
Aluminum, titanium High-temperature structures
Silicon carbide
Superalloy (cobalt-base) High-temperature engine components
Molybdenum, tungsten Superalloy
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Ceramic-Matrix Composites
➢Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) generally consist of ceramic fibers or whiskers in a ceramic
matrix. The CMCs comprise of ceramics matrix with dispersed ceramic phases of
carbides/oxides. For example Tungsten Carbide, Titanium Carbide, Chromium Carbide, and
Tantalum Carbide
➢The CMCs are good prospect for applications involving elevated temperatures because they
have exceptional resistance to corrosion, outstanding compressive strength, better resistance to
thermal shocks, greater melting points, better quality of dynamic load bearing capability, and
stable nature at elevated temperatures (over 1500 °C).
➢Ceramic matrix materials include Alumina, Boron Carbide, Boron Nitride, Silicone Carbide,
Silicon Nitride, and Titanium Carbide. Binders for MMCs include Nickel and Cobalt.

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Composite Design Factors
➢Matrix material
➢Reinforcement material
➢Concentration
➢Size
➢Shape
➢Distribution
➢Orientation

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Composite Manufacturing Processes
➢Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) manufacturing techniques
➢Hand lay up
➢Spray lay up
➢Automated Lay up
➢Prepreg
➢Filament winding
➢Pultrusion
➢Compression Molding
➢Resin Infusion/transfer molding
➢Autoclave molding
➢Injection molding
➢Reinforced reaction injection molding

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Hand Lay-Up and Spray-Up

Hand Lay-Up Finished Product (Dome) Spray-Up

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Prepreg and Filament Winding

Prepreg Process Filament Winding

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Pultrusion and Compression Molding

Pultrusion Compression Molding

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Resin Infusion/transfer molding

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)

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VARTM

Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM)

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Composite Manufacturing Processes
➢Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)
➢Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
➢Pyrolysis
➢High Pressure Impregnation Carbonization (HIPIC)

➢Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs)

➢Solid-State Processing (Foil-Fiber-Foil Process)
➢Liquid-State Processing (Squeeze casting, Duralcan process)
➢Vapor-State Processing (Deposition of fiber layup)

➢Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs)

➢Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI)
➢Directed Metal Oxidation (DMO)
➢Ceramic Particles Infiltration

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Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

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Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs)

Foil-Fiber-Foil Process Squeeze Casting

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Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs)

Direct Metal Oxidation

Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) 34

Properties Comparison

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Behavior under load for Fibers & Matrix

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Advantages of Composites
➢Lightweight ➢Good damping
➢High specific stiffness ➢Crash worthiness
➢High specific strength ➢Internal energy storage and release
➢Tailored properties (anisotropic) ➢Low thermal expansion
➢Easily moldable to complex (net) shapes ➢Low electrical conductivity
➢Part consolidation leading to lower overall ➢Stealth (low radar visibility)
system cost
➢Thermal transport (carbon fiber only)
➢Easily bondable
➢Good fatigue resistance

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Disadvantages of Composites
➢Cost of materials ➢Low ductility (joints inefficient, stress risers
more critical than in metals)
➢Lack of well-proven design rules
➢Solvent/moisture attack
➢Metal and composite designs are seldom
directly interchangeable ➢Temperature limits
➢Long development time ➢Damage susceptibility
➢Manufacturing difficulties (manual, slow, ➢Hidden damage
environmentally problematic, poor reliability)
➢EMI shielding sometimes required
➢Fasteners

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Composite Survey: Particle-III

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Elastic modulus, Ec, of composites: two approaches.

upper limit: “rule of mixtures”
Ec = VmEm + VpEp
E(GPa)
Data: 350
lower limit: Adapted from Fig. 16.3,
Cu matrix 30 0 Callister 7e. (Fig. 16.3 is
w/tungsten 250 1 Vm Vp from R.H. Krock, ASTM
= + Proc, Vol. 63, 1963.)
particles 20 0 Ec Em Ep
150

0 20 40 60 80 10 0 vol% tungsten
(Cu) (W)

• Application to other properties:

-- Electrical conductivity, se: Replace E in the above equations with se.
-- Thermal conductivity, k: Replace E in above equations with k.
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Composite Survey: Fiber

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Aligned Continuous fibers
• Examples:
-- Metal: g'(Ni3Al)-a(Mo) -- Ceramic: Glass w/SiC fibers
by eutectic solidification. formed by glass slurry
matrix: a (Mo) (ductile) Eglass = 76 GPa; ESiC = 400 GPa.

(a) fracture
surface

From F.L. Matthews and R.L.

2 mm Rawlings, Composite Materials;
Engineering and Science, Reprint
fibers: g ’ (Ni3Al) (brittle) (b)
ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL,
2000. (a) Fig. 4.22, p. 145 (photo by
J. Davies); (b) Fig. 11.20, p. 349
From W. Funk and E. Blank, “Creep
(micrograph by H.S. Kim, P.S.
deformation of Ni3Al-Mo in-situ
Rodgers, and R.D. Rawlings). Used
composites", Metall. Trans. A Vol. 19(4), pp.
with permission of CRC
987-998, 1988. Used with permission.
Press, Boca Raton, FL.
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Composite Survey: Fiber

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Discontinuous, random 2D fibers
• Example: Carbon-Carbon C fibers:
-- process: fiber/pitch, then very stiff
burn out at up to 2500ºC. very strong
-- uses: disk brakes, gas (b)
C matrix:
turbine exhaust flaps, nose less stiff
cones. view onto plane less strong
• Other variations: fibers lie
-- Discontinuous, random 3D (a) in plane
-- Discontinuous, 1D

Ec = EmVm + KEfVf
efficiency factor:
-- random 2D: K = 3/8 (2D isotropy)
-- random 3D: K = 1/5 (3D isotropy)
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Composite Survey: Fiber

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Critical fiber length (lC) for effective stiffening & strengthening:
fiber strength in tension fiber diameter
sf d
fiber length  15 shear strength of
c fiber-matrix interface
• Ex: For fiberglass, a fiber length > 15 mm is needed since this length
provides a “Continuous fiber” based on usual glass fiber properties
• Why? Longer fibers carry stress more efficiently!
Shorter, thicker fiber: Longer, thinner fiber: s d
sf d fiber length  15 f
fiber length  15
c c
s(x) s(x)
Adapted from Fig.
16.7, Callister 7e.

Poorer fiber efficiency Better fiber efficiency

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Numerical Problem

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Composite Strength: Longitudinal Loading
Continuous fibers - Estimate fiber-reinforced composite strength
for long continuous fibers in a matrix

Longitudinal deformation
sc = sm Vm + sfVf but c = m = f
volume fraction isostrain

 Ece = Em Vm + EfVf longitudinal (extensional)

modulus Remembering: E = s/
Ff E f Vf and note, this model
= f = fiber corresponds to the
“upper bound” for
Fm E mVm m = matrix particulate composites

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Composite Strength: Transverse Loading
In transverse loading the fibers carry less of the load and are in a state of ‘isostress’

sc = sm = sf = s  c=  mVm +  fVf

1 Vm Vf
 = + transverse modulus
E ct E m E f

Remembering: E = s/
and note, this model corresponds to the “lower bound” for particulate composites

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Composite Strength

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Estimate of Ec and TS for discontinuous fibers:
sf d
-- valid when fiber length  15
c
-- Elastic modulus in fiber direction:
Ec = EmVm + KEfVf
Fiber efficiency factor:
-- aligned 1D: K = 1 (aligned ) Values from Table 16.3, Callister 7e.
(Source for Table 16.3 is H. Krenchel,
-- aligned 1D: K = 0 (aligned ) Fibre Reinforcement, Copenhagen:
-- random 2D: K = 3/8 (2D isotropy) Akademisk Forlag, 1964.)

-- random 3D: K = 1/5 (3D isotropy)

-- TS in fiber direction:
(TS)c = (TS)mVm + (TS)fVf (aligned 1D)

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Composite Survey: Structural

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Stacked and bonded fiber-reinforced sheets
-- stacking sequence: e.g., 0º/90º or 0/45/90º
-- benefit: balanced, in-plane stiffness

• Sandwich panels
-- low density, honeycomb core
-- benefit: light weight, large bending stiffness Adapted from Fig.
16.16, Callister 7e.
face sheet
adhesive layer
honeycomb

Adapted from Fig. 16.18,

Callister 7e. (Fig. 16.18 is
from Engineered Materials
Handbook, Vol. 1, Composites, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1987.)

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