Chapter 15: Composites

ISSUES TO ADDRESS...
What are the classes and types of composites?
What are the advantages of using composite
materials?
How do we predict the stiffness and strength of the
various types of composites?

Chapter 15 - 1

Chapter 15: Composites

Chapter 15 - 2

1
 Composite
Combination of two or more individual
materials

Design goal: obtain a more desirable

combination of properties (principle of
combined action)
e.g., low density and high strength
Fe-Al

Synergetic Effect!!
Chapter 15 - 3

Terminology/Classification
Composite:
-- Multiphase material that is artificially
made.

Phase types:
-- Matrix - is continuous
-- Dispersed - is discontinuous and
surrounded by matrix

Affected factors
- Concentration
- Size
- Shape
- Distribution
- Orientation

Chapter 15 - 4

2
Terminology/Classification
Matrix phase:
-- Purposes are to:
woven
- transfer stress to dispersed phase
fibers
- protect dispersed phase from
environment
-- Types: MMC, CMC, PMC

metal ceramic polymer 0.5 mm

cross
Dispersed phase: section
-- Purpose: view
MMC: increase y, TS, creep resist.
CMC: increase KIc fracture toughness
0.5 mm
PMC: increase E, y, TS, creep resist.
-- Types: particle, fiber, structural

Chapter 15 - 5

Classification of Composites
A classification scheme for the various composite types
discussed in this chapter.

Chapter 15 - 6

3
Classification: Particle-Reinforced (i)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Examples:
- Spheroidite matrix: particles: Particle size
steel ferrite () cementite ~ <10~100nm
(ductile) (Fe C) Mostly
3
(brittle) particle(hard),
60 m matrix(soft)
- WC/Co matrix: particles: Enhanced toughness,
cemented cobalt WC Withstanding high
(ductile, (brittle, Temp.
carbide tough)
: hard)
600 m
Cheap carbon black(CB)
- Automobile matrix: particles: Increase TS,
tire rubber rubber carbon toughness, tear &
(compliant) black abrasion resistance
; 15~30% CB
(stiff)
0.75 m Chapter 15 - 7

Classification: Particle-Reinforced (ii)

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

Concrete gravel + sand + cement + water

- Why sand and gravel? Sand fills voids between gravel particles

Reinforced concrete Reinforce with steel rod, wire, bar or mesh

- increases strength - even if cement matrix is cracked, keep the strength
- almost same thermal expansion: steel(not corroded) & concrete !!
Prestressed concrete ;Weak for tension
- Rebar/remesh placed under tension during setting of concrete
- Release of tension after setting places concrete in a state of compression
- To fracture concrete, applied tensile stress must exceed this
compressive stress

Posttensioning tighten nuts to place concrete under compression

threaded
rod
nut Chapter 15 - 8

4
Classification: Particle-Reinforced (iii)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Elastic modulus, Ec, of composites:
-- two rule of mixture extremes:
E: elastic modulus
upper limit: Ec = Vm Em + Vp Ep V: volume fraction
E(GPa) c, m, p: comp., matrix, particulate phase
Data: 350
lower limit: Modulus of elasticity versus
Cu matrix 300
1 Vm Vp volume percent tungsten for
w/tungsten 250 = + a composite of tungsten
particles 200 Ec Em Ep particles dispersed within a
copper matrix. Upper and
150 lower bounds are according
to Equations 15.1 and 15.2;
0 20 40 60 80 10 0 vol% tungsten
experimental data points are
(Cu) (W) included.

Application to other properties:

-- Electrical conductivity, e: Replace Es in equations with es.
-- Thermal conductivity, k: Replace Es in equations with ks.
Chapter 15 - 9

Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (i)

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Fibers very strong in tension
Provide significant strength improvement to the
composite
Ex: fiber-glass - continuous glass filaments in a
polymer matrix
Glass fibers
strength and stiffness
Polymer matrix
holds fibers in place
protects fiber surfaces
transfers load to fibers
form into desired shape

Chapter 15 - 10

5
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (ii)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Fiber Types
Whiskers - thin single crystals - large length to diameter ratios
graphite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide
high crystal perfection extremely strong, strongest known
very expensive and difficult to disperse

Fibers
polycrystalline or amorphous
generally polymers or ceramics
Ex: alumina, aramid, E-glass, boron, UHMWPE

Wires
metals steel, molybdenum, tungsten

Chapter 15 - 11

Fiber Alignment
Schematic representations of (a) continuous and aligned, (b)
discontinous and aligned, and (c) discontinuous and randomly
oriented fiber reinforced composites..
(a) (b) (c)

aligned aligned random

continuous discontinuous Chapter 15 - 12

6
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (iii)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

Aligned Continuous fibers

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

(a) fracture
surface

2 m

fibers: (Ni3Al) (brittle)

(b)

Chapter 15 - 13

Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (iv)

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Discontinuous fibers, random in 2 dimensions
Example: Carbon-Carbon C fibers:
-- fabrication process: very stiff
- carbon fibers embedded very strong
in polymer resin matrix, (a)
500 m C matrix:
- polymer resin pyrolyzed less stiff
at up to 2500C. view onto plane less strong
-- uses: disk brakes, gas
fibers lie
turbine exhaust flaps,
(b) in plane
missile nose cones.
Other possibilities:
-- Discontinuous, random 3D (c) Carbon nanotube
-- Discontinuous, aligned Composite as a fiber
-- Continuous, Aligned ?

Chapter 15 - 14

7
Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (v)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Critical fiber length(lc) for effective stiffening & strengthening:
fiber ultimate
fiber diameter
tensile strength

shear strength of
fiber-matrix interface

Ex: For fiberglass, common fiber length > 1 mm needed

For longer fibers, stress transference from matrix is more efficient
Short, thick fibers: Long, thin fibers:
d d
fiber length f fiber length f
2 c 2 c

Low fiber efficiency High fiber efficiency

Chapter 15 - 15

Composite Stiffness:
Longitudinal Loading
& Aligned

/ = E,

Ecl = EmVm + Ef Vf Ecl = longitudinal modulus

c = composite
f = fiber
m = matrix
Chapter 15 - 16

8
 Composite Stiffness:
Transverse Loading
For continuous and aligned fiber,
In transverse loading the fibers carry less of the load
Strain or Deformation of the entire composite
c= mVm + fVf and c = m = f =
isostress
1 V V
m f where =/E
Ect E m Ef
c = composite Ect = transverse modulus
f = fiber
m = matrix

EmEf
Ect
VmEf Vf Em
Chapter 15 - 17

Composite Stiffness
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

Elastic modulus in fiber direction:

Ecd = EmVm + KEfVf
efficiency factor:
-- aligned: K = 1 (aligned parallel)
-- aligned: K = 0 (aligned perpendicular)
-- random 2D: K = 3/8 (2D isotropy)
-- random 3D: K = 1/5 (3D isotropy)

Chapter 15 - 18

9
 Composite Strength
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

Longitudinal tensile strength

Fiber tensile strength

Matrix fracture strength

Estimate of cd* for discontinuous and aligned fibers:
Longitudinal strength in tension
1. When l > lc
Fracture strength of fiber
cd f Vf 1 l c m (1 Vf )
* *

2l Stress in the matrix

when composite fails
2. When l < lc
Smaller of either fiber-

l c Vf m (1 Vf )
matrix bond strength or
cd
*
the matrix shear yield
d
strength Chapter 15 - 19

Composite Strength
Characteristics of Several fiber-reinforcement Materials

Chapter 15 - 20

10
 Polymer Matrix Composite
Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP)
Fiberglass (or E-glass) consisting of glass fibers
Fiber diameter: 3~20 m
Advantages
Easily drawn into high-strength fiber from molten state
Adaptable to many used manufacturing methods
Very high specific strength
Chemical inertness efficient to corrosive environment.
Limitations
Not very stiff for airplane and bridge
Service temp below 200C
Applications
Automotive and marine bodies, plastic pipes, storage
containers, and industrial flooring
Chapter 15 - 21

Polymer Matrix Composite

Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)
Advantages
Highest specific modulus and specific strength
High tensile modulus and high strength at high temp.
At RT, not affected by moisture or various chemical solution
Inexpensive and cost effective manufacturing method
Composed of noncrystalline and crystalline(graphite) regions
Fabricating method using organic precursors (rayon, PAN,
pitch) : Annealing at High Temp.
Fiber diameter: 4 ~10 m, normally coated with epoxy
Four grades by tensile modulus:
Applications
Golf club, tennis rocket, fishing rod, aircraft structural parts
Many military and commercial uses
Chapter 15 - 22

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 Polymer Matrix Composite
Aramid Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (AFRP)
High modulus and high strength material in early 1970s
Main constituent; Poly(paraphenylene terephthalamide)
Major trade names : KelvarTM, NormexTM
Kelvar: classified with numbers Kelvar 29, 49, 149
Higher longitudinal tensile strength and tensile moduli
Relatively weak in compression
toughness, impact resistance, and resistance to creep
& fatigue failure
Thermoplastic but resistant to combustion, relatively ductile
Stable to high T. for -200 ~ 200C
Applications
Bullet-proof vests and armor, sporting goods, tires, ropes, missile
cases, pressure vessels and clutch linings and gaskets
Chapter 15 - 23

Polymer Matrix Composite

GFRP CFRP AFRP

Chapter 15 - 24

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 Carbon-Carbon Composite
Reinforcement and matrix are carbon.
Relatively new and expensive because of pyrolysis &
high temperature treatment
High tensile moduli and strength even in excess of
2000C, resistance to creep and relatively large
fracture toughness
Low thermal coefficient and high thermal conductivity
Combined with mechanical strength beneficial to thermal shock
Main drawback: high temperature oxidation
Applications
Rocket motor, for friction material in aircraft and automobile, for hot-
pressing molds, components in turbine engines

Chapter 15 - 25

Carbon Nanotube Composite

Reinforcement and matrixes are carbon nanotube/
metal, ceramic & polymer
Very Expensive but rapidly decreasing in cost
Regular formulation not defined yet
High electrical conductivity, mechanical strength,
thermal conductivity, elasticity & low weight
Technical gap in theory and experiments
Short length in matrix
Chemical bonding with matrix
Main drawback: short length & Defects
Applications
For electro-static discharger, EMI and for structural reinforcement in
automobile, aircraft & sports goods

Chapter 15 - 26

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Composite Production Methods (i)
Pultrusion
Continuous fibers pulled through resin tank, then
to preforming and curing dies
Reinforcements: glass, carbon, aramid

http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9tlQn5_cko0 Chapter 15 - 27

Composite Production Methods (ii)

Filament Winding
Ex: pressure tanks high strength to weight ratio
Continuous filaments wound onto mandrel
Cost effective

Chapter 15 - 28

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 Classification: Structural
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Laminates -
-- stacked and bonded fiber-reinforced sheets
- stacking sequence: e.g., 0/90
- benefit: balanced in-plane stiffness

Sandwich panels
-- honeycomb core between two facing sheets
- benefits: low density, large bending stiffness
face sheet
adhesive layer
honeycomb

Chapter 15 - 29

Composite Benefits
CMCs: Increased toughness PMCs: Increased E/
Force 3 ceramics
particle-reinf 10
E(GPa) 2 PMCs
10
10 metal/
fiber-reinf
1 metal alloys
un-reinf
0.1 polymers
0.01
Bend displacement 0.1 0.3 1 3 10 30
10 -4 Density, [mg/m3]
ss (s-1) 6061 Al
MMCs: 10 -6

Increased
creep 10 -8 6061 Al
resistance w/SiC
whiskers
10 -10
(MPa)
20 30 50 100 200 Chapter 15 - 30

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Composite Benefits

Chapter 15 - 31

Composite Benefits

Chapter 15 - 32

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 Summary
Composites types are designated by:
-- the matrix material (CMC, MMC, PMC)
-- the reinforcement (particles, fibers, structural)
Composite property benefits:
-- MMC: enhanced E, , creep performance
-- CMC: enhanced KIc
-- PMC: enhanced E/, y, TS/
Particulate-reinforced:
-- Types: large-particle and dispersion-strengthened
-- Properties are isotropic
Fiber-reinforced:
-- Types: continuous (aligned)
discontinuous (aligned or random)
-- Properties can be isotropic or anisotropic
Structural:
-- Laminates and sandwich panels
Chapter 15 - 33

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