COMPOSITE
HISTORY
- The straw was the fiber reinforcement and the
clay was the matrix.
- A composite is a product made with a
minimum of two materials – one being a solid Aramid fibers are another human-made
material and the other a binding material (or product. These fibers are produced by
matrix) which holds together both materials manufacturing the basic polymer, then
spinning it into either a paper-like
configuration or into fiber.
POLYMER MATRIX COMPOSITE (PMC) RESIN
SYSTEMS
- RESINS The resin systems used to
manufacture advanced composites are of two
basic types: thermosetting and thermoplastic.
Thermosetting resins predominate today,
while thermoplastics have only a minor role in
advanced composites manufacture
TWO TYPES OF COMPOSITE
RESIN FORMULATION
1. Particle Reinforced Composites
- Particles are also used to produce inexpensive - Resin formulation consists of mixing epoxy or
composites. Reinforcers and matrices can be other resins with other ingredients to achieve
common, inexpensive materials and are easily desired performance parameters. These
processed ingredients may be curing agents,
MANUFACTURING PARTICLE REINFORCED accelerators, reactive diluents, pigments, etc.
COMPOSITE
Making particle reinforced composites is Thermoplastic
much easier and less costly than making fiber - A plastic material that is capable of being
reinforced composites. With polymeric repeatedly softened by application of heat and
matrices, the particles are simply added to the repeatedly hardened by cooling.
polymer melt in an extruder or injection
Thermoset
molder during polymer processing. Similarly,
reinforcing particles are added to molten - A plastic material that is capable of being
metals and then forced in molds by using large cured by heat or catalyst into an infusible and
amounts of pressure. insoluble material. Once cured, a thermoset
cannot be returned to the uncured state.
2. Fiber Reinforced Composites
- Reinforcing fibers can be made of metals, MAJOR PROCESSES
ceramics, glasses, or polymers that have been Formulation is the process where the resin,
turned into graphite and known as carbon curing agent, and any other component
fibers. required are mixed together. This process may
- If the fibers are all parallel, the modulus of a involve adding the components manually into
fiber reinforced composite depends upon a small mixing vessel or, in the case of larger
which direction you're measuring processes, the components may be pumped
MANUFACTURING FIBER REINFORCED into a mixing vessel.
COMPOSITE
Prepregging is the process where the resin minimized, or where a small number of parts
and curing agent mixture are impregnated into is involved.
the reinforcing fiber. These impregnated
reinforcements (also known as prepregs) take Continuous processes are typically
three main forms: woven fabrics, roving, and automated to some degree and are used to
unidirectional tape. A cold storage prevents produce larger numbers of identical parts
the chemical reaction from occurring relatively quickly. These processes are typified
prematurely. by pumping of the resin mixture into the mold,
followed by closed curing.
AUTOMATED TAPE LAY-UP In this process, the
prepreg tape material is fed through an PULTRUSION In the pultrusion process,
automated tape application machine (robot). continuous roving strands are pulled from a
The tape is applied across the surface of a creel through a strand-tensioning device into a
mold in multiple layers by the preprogrammed resin bath. The coated strands are then
robot. passed through a heated die where curing
occurs. The continuous cured part, usually a
Open Molding processes are those where the rod or similar shape, is then cut to the desired
part being manufactured is exposed to the length.
atmosphere. The resin mixture may be a liquid
being formed onto a reinforcing material or it
may be in the form of a prepreg material being
formed for final cure.
Closed Molding processes are those in which
all or part of the manufacture takes place in a
closed vessel or chamber. The liquid resin
mixture or prepreg material may be handled or
formed manually into the container for the
curing step. In the case of liquid resin
mixtures, these may be pumped into the
container, usually a mold of some type, for the
curing step.
RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING Resin transfer
molding is used when parts with two smooth
surfaces are required or when a low-pressure
molding process is advantageous. Fiber
reinforcement fabric or mat is laid by hand into
a mold and resin mixture is poured or injected
into the mold cavity. The part is then cured
under heat and pressure.
Sequential or batch processes involve
manufacture of a single part at a time, in
sequence. This type of process is usually
required where the part being made is small
and complex in shape, when the curing phase
is critical, when finishing work must be
