UGKW 2008

Drexel University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering II Winter 2008
Homework 3
H3.Q1 (CES Level 2) (5pts): Explore the potential of PP-SiC (polypropylene-silicon carbide) fiber
composites in the following way. Make a modulus-density (E-) chart and change the axis ranges so
that they span the range 1 <E <1000 GPa and 500 < <5000 kg/m
3
. Find and label PP and SiC,
then print it. Retrieve values for the modulus and density of PP and of SiC from the records for
these materials (use the means of the ranges). Calculate the density composite and upper and lower
bounds for the modulus E at a volume fraction f of SiC of 0.5 and plot this information on the chart.
Sketch by eye two arcs starting from (E, ) for PP, passing through each of the (E
composite
,
composite
)
points you have plotted and ending at the (E, ) point for SiC. PP-SiC composites can populate the
area between the arcs roughly up to f =0.5 because it is not possible to insert more than this.
3 3 3
composite
Density: (1 ) 0.5 3150 kg/m 0.5 900 kg/m 2030 kg/m = + = + =
f f f m
V V (1pt)
composite
Upper bound: (1 ) 0.5 420 GPa 0.5 1.2 GPa 211 GPa = + = + =
f f f m
E V E V E (1pt)
composite
(1 )
0.5 0.5
Lower bound: 1/ 1/ 2.39 GPa
420 GPa 1.2 GPa


= + = + =





f f
f m
V V
E
E E
(1pt)
Results Density
[kg/]m
3
]
Modulus
[GPa]
Polypropylene 900 1.2
Silicon carbide 3150 420
Upper bound: f = 0.5 2030 211
Lower bound: f = 0.5 2030 2.39
(2pts)
UGKW 2008
H3.Q2 (CES Level 2) (3pts): Explore the region that can be populated by making PP foams.
Expand an E- plot so that it spans the range 10
-4
<E <10 GPa and 10 < <2000 kg/m
3
. Find and
label PP, then print the chart. Construct a band starting with the PP bubble by drawing lines
corresponding to the scaling law for foam modulus E
composite

2
composite
touching the top and the
bottom of the PP bubble. The zone between these lines can be populated by PP foams.

H3.Q3 (2pts): The stiffness of an atomic bond in a particular material is 50 N/m and its center-to-
center atom spacing is 0.3 nm. What, approximately, it its elastic modulus?
0
50 N/m
166 GPa 170 GPa
3 nm
= = =
S
E
r


H3.Q4 (5pts): What is meant by:
(a) a crystalline solid
A crystalline solid is one in which the atoms or molecules are arranged in an ordered way that can be
described by a geometric lattice.
(b) an amorphous solid
An amorphous solid (or glassy solid) is one in which crystallographic order is absent.
(c) a thermoplastic
A thermoplastic is one in which the bonding along the polymer chains is covalent and strong but the
bonding between them is Van der Waals or hydrogen bonding and is weak. This causes the polymer
to melt when heated, allowing thermal molding.
(d) a thermoset
A thermosetting plastic is one in which the polymer chains are cross-linked by strong covalent bonds
that do not melt when the polymer is heated.
(e) an elastomer?
An elastomer is a slightly cross-linked polymer which, at room temperature, is above its
glasstransition temperature. The occasional cross-links give the material a memory, causing it to
return to its original shape when unloaded after stretching.
UGKW 2008
H3.Q5: Case study: Automotive headlight lens. (5pts)
Background
The lens of an automobile headlamp protects the bulb and reflector and
focuses the light where it is most needed.
What are the design requirements?
List these and use CES to select materials for the lens.
Explain advantages and disadvantages of possible solutions.

Objective
To select materials that meet the requirements for the lens.
Requirements (2pts)
Must be transparent with optical quality.
Must be able to be molded easily.
Must have very good resistance to fresh and salt water
Must have very good resistance to UV light
Selection (3pts)
Set the CES EduPack to Select / Level 2 / Materials. Use a Limit stage to apply the first four
requirements, selecting Optical properties to apply the first, Processability to apply the second, and
Durability to apply the third and the fourth (select both good and very good to avoid eliminating
too many materials). Then make a Graph stage with Price on the X-axis and Hardness on the Y-axis
to find the ones that are cheap and have high hardness. Remember you can grey-out materials on
the graph that do not meet the limit stage criteria by clicking the little icon like two intersecting
circles in the row of icons along the top of the graph.
Price (USD/kg)
0.1 1 10 100
H
a
r
d
n
e
s
s

-

V
i
c
k
e
r
s

(
H
V
)
1e-3
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
Soda-lime glass
Borosilicate glass
Polymethyl methacrylate (Acrylic, PMMA)

The cheapest and hardest material that meets all the constraints is soda-lime glass it is used for car
head lights. If a polymer is wanted, the cheapest one is PMMA, acrylic it is used for car tail lights.