Basics of Composite

Materials

What is a Composite?
A Composite Material signifies that two or more materials are

combined on a macroscopic scale to form a useful third material.

Wood is a common example of a natural composite, combining

cellulose fibre and lignin.
Earliest known man made composites are Mud bricks. The
combination of mud with straw gives the brick a good tear and
squeeze resistance.

Alloy Vs Composites
Alloys also have the same definition as the composite
material.
Now how does a composite differ from an alloy?. When
alloys are formed the individual components lose their
individuality and they behave as a whole homogeneous
structure.
While Composites individual components retain their
nature and look as a heterogeneous structure.

Types of Composite Materials

Fibrous Composite Materials
Laminated Composite Materials (e.g. Laminated Glass)
Particulate Composite Materials. (e.g. Concrete)

Components
The Basic Components which make up a composite are
Reinforcements ( Fibres)
Matrix

Types of Fibres
Glass

Carbon

Aramid (Kevlar)

Boron

Ceramic

Metallic

Types of Matrices
Polymers
Metals
Ceramics

Function of the Fiber

Carry the load
70 to 90% of load carried by fibers
Provide structural properties to the composite
Stiffness
Strength
Thermal stability
Provide electrical insulation

Function of the Matrix

Binds the fibers together
Provides rigidity and shape to the structure
Isolates fibers to slow crack propagation
Surface quality
Corrosion and wear protection for fibers

Fibres
Glass Fibres:
Glass is produced from silica sand, limestone, boric acid, and other
elements.
E-glass: Alumina-calcium-borosilicate glass
S- glass: Magnesium alumino silicate glass
Advantages
Applicable to wide range of geometries and sizes, Seamless construction.
Good strength and durability,
Lower tooling costs, Increased design flexibility.
Minimal maintenance &Corrosion resistant.

Disadvantages:
Mechanical properties are not as good as metals or other reinforcing fibres.

Carbon Fibres:
Types of graphite fibres include:
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-Based fibres
Pitch-Based fibres
Rayon-Based fibres
Advantages:
Excellent strength & stiffness,
Excellent specific strength and stiffness, and
Corrosion resistant.
Disadvantages
Significantly more expensive than glass fibres.
Brittle behaviour.

Aramid Fibres: (Kevlar

TM

Para aramid fiber characterized by high tensile strength

and modulus
Advantages:
Very high strength & stiffness,
Very high specific strength & stiffness,
Excellent impact resistance
High toughness.
Corrosion resistant.
Disadvantages:
Significantly more expensive than glass fibres, and
Properties may be affected by environmental factors (e.g.

Matrices
Polymers

The polymer matrices are the most commonly used and they
offer good bonding characteristics when compared with other
matrix types.
In commercial usage these polymers matrices are called Resins.
There are different types resins available.
Some of the most used resins are
Polyester
Epoxy
Phenolic

 Polyester Resin
Polyester is a thermoset polymer that is formed
from a condensation polymerization. Polyester has been
widely used in commercial applications with fiberglass.
Advantages:
Low cost
A wide assortment of di acids and diols can be used to
give physical and chemical properties.
Disadvantages:
Poor temperature capabilities, Poor weather resistance
Poor mechanical properties (stiffness and strength) as
compared to advanced composites

 Epoxy Resin
Epoxy is a thermoset polymer that forms a strong rigidly
cross-linked network of polymer chains. Epoxy has been widely
used in commercial applications with fiberglass, graphite, and
aromatic fibres.
Advantages
Excellent adhesion
Excellent mechanical properties (strength and stiffness),
Excellent chemical resistance, Excellent weather resistance.
Low shrinkage, Good fatigue strength.
Good corrosion protection and Versatility in processing.

Disadvantages
Poor high temperature capabilities
Uncured resin is toxic
Poor handling properties (uncured)
Relatively expensive.

 Phenolic resin
Phenolic is a thermoset polymer with good high temperature
properties. It is now being used as a composite resin with
graphite, and aromatic fibres
Advantages:
Good mechanical properties (strength and stiffness),
Good thermal properties with an ablative nature, and
Good processability
Disadvantages:
Absorbs moisture easily,
Brittle behaviour, and
Relatively expensive (more than epoxies).

Laminated Fibre Reinforced Composites

The laminated fibre reinforced composites combine the
laminated and fibrous composites to produce high strength
and stiffness properties.
These composites consists of stack of layers or sheets called
lamina.
The lamina are the building blocks which has fibres aligned
in a matrix.
The stacks of lamina are called a laminate which make up
the composite.

Sandwich Composites

Sandwich panel is also a kind of layered composite. It

consists of faces and core
With increase in thickness of core, its stiffness increases
as seen in the most common sandwich panel
honeycomb.
Faces:-They are formed by two strong outer sheets.
Core:-Core is layer of less dense material.
Honeycomb:-Structure which contain thin foils forming
interlocked hexagonal cells with their axes oriented at
right angles in the direction of face sheet.

Manufacturing Techniques
Some of the manufacturing methods of composites are
Hand Lay up Method
Vacuum bag Moulding Process
Filament Winding Process
Sheet Moulding Compound

Hand Lay Up Process

 Advantages:
low cost tools
versatile: wide range of products
Disadvantages:
time consuming
easy to form air bubbles and disorientation of fibers
inconsistency

Vacuum Bag Moulding Process

Advantages:
simple design
any fiber/matrix combination
ok with cheap mold material
better quality for the cost
Disadvantages:
cannot be heated up too much
breeder clothe has to be replaced frequently
low pressure (760 mm Hg the most)
slowest speed
inconsistency

Filament Winding Process

Process by which continuous reinforcing fibers are
accurately positioned in a predetermined pattern to form
a shape (usually cylindrical).
Use machine to wrap composite around mandrel
Mandrel is then removed, leaving hollow composite part
Angles generally set at -45,0,+45

Advantages:
using existing textile processes.
quick, easy to handle package.
parts can have huge size.
Disadvantages:
spinning speed is limited due to resin penetration and
splashing, traveler speed and yarn breakage.
curing by heat is not easy to apply.
shape of the products limited (only cylindrical
possible).

Sheet Moulding Compound

Sheet moulding compound (SMC) refers to both a

material and a process for producing glass fibre
reinforced polyester resin items.
The material is typically composed of a filled,
thermosetting resin and a chopped or continuous strand
reinforcement of glass fibre
The glass fibre is added to a resin mixture that is carried
onto a plastic carrier film.
After partial cure, the carrier films are removed. The
sheet moulding material is cut into lengths and placed
onto matched metal dies under heat and pressure

Advantages
High productivity thus inexpensive
consistency
Excellent part reproducibility.
Minimum material scrap.
Excellent design flexibility.
Disadvantages
low volume fraction.
Only board can be made.

Cure
To irreversibly change the properties of a thermosetting
resin by chemical reaction, i.e., condensation, ring,
closure, or addition. Cure may be accomplished by
addition of curing (cross-linking) agents, with or without
heat.

Oven Cure
Once the layup is accomplished and
the part is debulked, we can put it
into a furnace to cure the resin.
Typically the parts are instrumented
with a thermocouple to track the
temperature of the part in the oven.
The temperature of the oven is
increased until the thermocouple
registers the correct curing
temperature and then the part is
soaked at temperature until it is
cured.

Autoclave
Autoclave is a pressure vessel
with pipework to allow a vacuum
to be maintained in the bagged
work piece.
Temperature control is normally
by gas- or electric-heating

Advantages

Light Weight- Composites are light in weight. Their

lightness is important in automobiles and aircraft, for
example, where less weight means better fuel efficiency
High Strength- Composites can be designed to be far
stronger than aluminium or steel. Metals are equally
strong in all directions. But composites can be engineered
and designed to be strong in a specific direction.
Strength Related to Weight- Strength-to-weight ratio is a
materials strength in relation to how much it weighs.
Composite materials can be designed to be both strong
and light.

High-Impact Strength- Composites can be made to

absorb impactsthe sudden force of a bullet, for
instance, or the blast from an explosion.
Design Flexibility- Composites can be moulded into
complicated shapes more easily than most other
materials. This gives designers the freedom to create
almost any shape or form.
Part Consolidation- A single piece made of composite
materials can replace an entire assembly of metal parts.
Nonconductive- Composites are nonconductive, meaning
they do not conduct electricity.

Low Thermal Conductivity- Composites are good

insulatorsthey do not easily conduct heat or cold.
Radar Transparent- Radar signals pass right through
composites, a property that makes composites ideal
materials for use anywhere radar equipment is operating,
whether on the ground or in the air
Corrosion Resistance- Composites resist damage from
the weather and from harsh chemicals that can eat away
at other materials

Disadvantages
High cost of raw materials and fabrication.
Composites are more brittle than wrought metals and
thus are more easily damaged.
Transverse properties may be weak.
Matrix is weak, therefore, low toughness.
Reuse and disposal may be difficult.
Inspection Methods are costly.

Applications in Aerospace- Civil

Airframes, Wing Spars, Fuel Tanks, Helicopter Rotor
Blades, Engine Nacelles, Nose Cone & Landing Gear Doors
Tunnel supports, Airport facilities such as runways
Roads and bridge structures , Marine and offshore
structures
Concrete slabs
Architectural features and structures such as exterior
walls, handrails, etc.

In Sports
Canoes and Kayaks
Vaulting Pole
Golf & Polo rods
Archery equipment
Hand gliders
Wind surfer boards

Chemical & Nuclear Reactors

Double-wall FRP vessels with an early warning system for
leakage detection
Underground storage tanks
pumps and blowers, columns.
As Cladding material and Control Rods

Marine & Electrical

Propellers vanes, Fans and Blowers
Gear cases
Valves and Strainers
Structures for overhead transmission lines for railway
Power line insulators
Lightning poles

Automotive
Fibre Glass/Epoxy Springs for Heavy Trucks and Trailers
Rocker Arm Covers, Suspension Arms, Wheels and Engine Shrouds
Filament-Wound Fuel Tanks
Electrical Vehicle Body Components and Assembly Units
Valve Guides

THANK YOU

ANY QUESTIONS??