SI EDITION
MANUFACTURING
Engineering and Technology
Seventh Edition
CHAPTER
9
COMPOSITE MATERIALS:
STRUCTURE, GENERAL PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS
Serope Kalpakjian
Steven R. Schmid ALWAYS LEARNING Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd
Chapter Outline
1. Introduction
2. The Structure of Reinforced Plastics
3. Properties of Reinforced Plastics
4. Applications of Reinforced Plastics
5. Metal-matrix Composites
6. Ceramic-matrix Composites
7. Other Composites
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Introduction
Composite material is a combination of two or
more chemically distinct and insoluble phases
Known as polymer-matrix, metal-matrix and
ceramic-matrix composites
Fiber reinforcements improve the strength,
stiffness and creep resistance, strength-to-weight
and stiffness-to-weight ratios of plastics
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Introduction
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics
Reinforced plastics consist of fibers in a
polymer matrix
Also known as polymer-matrix composites
(PMC) and fiber reinforced plastics (FRP)
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics
Fibers in reinforced plastics have little structural
value
No transverse stiffness or strength
When more than one
type of fiber is used
in a reinforced plastic,
it is called a hybrid
Have better properties
but are more costly
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Glass, carbon,
ceramics,
aramids, and
boron are the
common
reinforcing
fibers
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Glass Fibers
Least expensive of all fibers
Composite material is called glass-fiber
reinforced plastic (GFRP)
Principal types of glass fibers:
1. E-type
2. S-type
3. E-CR-type
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Carbon Fibers
More expensive, low density, high strength and
high stiffness
Product is called carbon-fiber reinforced plastic
(CFRP)
Difference between carbon and graphite depends
on the material purity and processed temperature
Classified by their elastic modulus: low,
intermediate, high, and very high modulus
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Carbon Fibers
All carbon fibers are made by pyrolysis of
organic precursors
Pyrolysis is the process of
inducing chemical changes
by heat
Conductive Graphite Fibers
Enhance the electrical and thermal conductivity
of reinforced plastic components
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precursors and manufacturing of carbon fibers
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precursors and manufacturing of carbon fibers
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Ceramic Fibers
Have low elongation, low thermal conductiity and
good chemical resistance
Polymer Fibers
Fibers may be made of nylon, rayon, acrylics, or
aramids, most common are aramid fibers
Aramids, such as Kevlar, are tough and have
very high specific strength
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Boron Fibers
Fibers consist of boron deposited onto tungsten or
carbon fibers
High strength and stiffness in
tension and compression and
resistance to high temperatures
Due to high density of tungsten, they are heavy
and expensive
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Reinforcing Fibers
Other Fibers
Whiskers used as reinforcing fibers, they are tiny
needle-like single crystals
High aspect ratios (ratio of fiber length to its
diameter)
Small size and free of imperfections
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Fiber Size and Length
Fibers are very strong and stiff in tension
Due to molecules oriented in the longitudinal
direction, cross sections are small
Fibers are classified:
1. Short (discontinuous)
- mechanical properties improve as average fiber
length increase
2. Long (continuous)
- no improvement in properties occurs
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The Structure of Reinforced Plastics:
Matrix Materials
Matrix in reinforced plastics has 3 principal
functions:
1. Support the fibers in place and transfer the
stresses to them
2. Protect the fibers against physical damage and the
environment
3. Reduce the propagation of cracks in the
composite
Matrix materials are thermoplastics or thermosets
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Properties of Reinforced Plastics
Mechanical and physical properties of reinforced
plastics depend on:
1. Type, shape, and orientation of the reinforcing
material
2. Length of the fibers
3. Volume fraction (percentage) of the reinforcing
material
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Properties of Reinforced Plastics
Short fibers are less effective than long fibers and
properties are influenced by temperature and time
under load
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Properties of Reinforced Plastics
Physical properties of reinforced plastics depend
on the type and amount of reinforcement
Weak interfacial bonding causes fiber pullout
and delamination of the structure
Glass fibers are treated with silane for improved
wetting and bonding
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Properties of Reinforced Plastics
Highest stiffness and strength in reinforced
plastics are when the fibers are aligned in the
direction of the tension force
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Properties of Reinforced Plastics:
Strength and Elastic Modulus of Reinforced Plastics
Total load, Pc , on the composite is
Pc Pf Pm Pf = fibre load
Pm = matrix load
Which can be written as c Ac f A f m Am
Using x to represents the volume fraction,
c x f 1 x m
Elastic modulus of the composite is
Ec xE f 1 x Em
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Properties of Reinforced Plastics:
Strength and Elastic Modulus of Reinforced Plastics
EXAMPLE 9.1
Calculation of Stiffness of a Composite and Load Supported by Fibers
Assume that a graphite–epoxy reinforced plastic with longitudinal fibers
contains 20% graphite fibers. The elastic modulus of the fibers is 300 GPa,
and that of the epoxy matrix is 100 GPa. Calculate the elastic modulus of the
composite and the fraction of the load supported by the fibers.
Solution
We have Ec 0.2300 1 0.2100 140 GPa
Pf 0.2300
The load fraction is 0.75
Pm 0.8100
Pf
We obtain, Pc Pf 2.33Pf Pf 0.43Pc
0.75
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Applications of Reinforced Plastics
Glass or carbon fiber reinforced hybrid plastics
are for high-temperature applications
Reinforced plastics is used for weight reduction
in product design
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Applications of Reinforced Plastics
CAES STUDY 9.1
Composite Military Helmets and Body Armor
Body armor uses layers of woven fibers
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Metal-matrix Composites
Advantages of a metal matrix over a polymer
matrix are higher elastic modulus, toughness,
ductility and higher resistance
Limitations are higher density and a greater
difficulty in processing parts
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Metal-matrix Composites
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Metal-matrix Composites
CASE STUDY 9.2
Aluminum-matrix Composite Brake Calipers
Aluminum-matrix composite brake caliper using
nano-crystalline alumina fiber reinforcement
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Ceramic-matrix Composites
Ceramic-matrix composites (CMC) are resistance
to high temperatures and corrosive environments
Ceramics are strong and stiff, they resist high
temperatures, but they lack toughness
Carbon/carbon-matrix composites retain much of
their strength but lack oxidation resistance at high
temperatures
Used for automotive engine components
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Other Composites
Composites consist of coatings of various types
on base metals or substrates
Examples are:
1. Plating of aluminum or other metals over plastics
2. Enamels
3. Vitreous (glasslike) coatings on metal surfaces
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Other Composites
CASE STUDY 9.3
Composites in the Aircraft Industry
Composite content in selected commercial aircraft
as a function of time
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