Chapter 16: Composite Materials

ISSUES TO ADDRESS...
What are the classes and types of composites?
Why are composites used instead of metals,
ceramics, or polymers?
How do we estimate composite stiffness & strength?
What are some typical applications?

Chapter 16 - 1

Composites
Combine materials with the objective of getting a
more desirable combination of properties
Ex: get flexibility & weight of a polymer plus the
strength of a ceramic
Principle of combined action
Mixture gives averaged properties

Chapter 16 - 2

Terminology/Classification
Composites:
-- Multiphase material w/significant
proportions of each phase.

woven
fibers

Matrix:

-- The continuous phase

-- Purpose is to:
- transfer stress to other phases
- protect phases from environment

-- Classification:
metal

MMC, CMC, PMC

ceramic

0.5 mm
cross
section
view

polymer

Dispersed phase:
-- Purpose: enhance matrix properties.
MMC: increase y, TS, creep resist.
CMC: increase Kc
PMC: increase E, y, TS, creep resist.

-- Classification: Particle, fiber, structural

0.5 mm
Reprinted with permission from
D. Hull and T.W. Clyne, An
Introduction to Composite Materials,
2nd ed., Cambridge University Press,
New York, 1996, Fig. 3.6, p. 47.

Chapter 16 - 3

Composite Survey

Composites
Particle-reinforced
Largeparticle

Dispersionstrengthened

Fiber-reinforced
Continuous
(aligned)

Structural

Discontinuous
(short)
Aligned

Randomly
oriented

Laminates

Sandwich
panels

Adapted from Fig.

16.2, Callister 7e.

Chapter 16 - 4

Composite Survey: Particle-I

Particle-reinforced
Examples:
- Spheroidite matrix:
ferrite ()
steel

Fiber-reinforced

(ductile)

60 m

- WC/Co
cemented
carbide

matrix:
cobalt
(ductile)
Vm :
10-15 vol%!

Structural
particles:
cementite
(Fe3 C)
(brittle)

Adapted from Fig.

10.19, Callister 7e.
(Fig. 10.19 is
copyright United
States Steel
Corporation, 1971.)

particles:
WC
(brittle,
hard)

Adapted from Fig.

16.4, Callister 7e.
(Fig. 16.4 is courtesy
Carboloy Systems,
Department, General
Electric Company.)

600 m

- Automobile matrix:
rubber
tires

particles:
C
(stiffer)

(compliant)
0.75 m

Adapted from Fig.

16.5, Callister 7e.
(Fig. 16.5 is courtesy
Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Company.)

Chapter 16 - 5

Composite Survey: Particle-II

Particle-reinforced

Fiber-reinforced

Structural

Concrete gravel + sand + cement

- Why sand and gravel?

Sand packs into gravel voids

Reinforced concrete - Reinforce with steel rerod or remesh

- increases strength - even if cement matrix is cracked

Prestressed concrete - remesh under tension during setting of

concrete. Tension release puts concrete under compressive force
- Concrete much stronger under compression.
- Applied tension must exceed compressive force

Post tensioning tighten nuts to put under tension

threaded
rod

nut
Chapter 16 - 6

Composite Survey: Particle-III

Particle-reinforced

Fiber-reinforced

Structural

Elastic modulus, Ec, of composites:

-- two approaches.
E(GPa)
350
Data:
Cu matrix 30 0
w/tungsten 250
particles
20 0
150
0

upper limit: rule of mixtures

Ec = VmEm + VpEp

(Cu)

lower limit:
1 Vm Vp
=
+
Ec Em Ep
20 4 0 6 0 8 0

Adapted from Fig. 16.3,

Callister 7e. (Fig. 16.3 is
from R.H. Krock, ASTM
Proc, Vol. 63, 1963.)

10 0 vol% tungsten

(W)

Application to other properties:

-- Electrical conductivity, e: Replace E in equations with e.
-- Thermal conductivity, k: Replace E in equations with k.
Chapter 16 - 7

Composite Survey: Fiber-I

Particle-reinforced

Fiber-reinforced

Structural

Fibers very strong

Provide significant strength improvement to
material
Ex: fiber-glass
Continuous glass filaments in a polymer matrix
Strength due to fibers
Polymer simply holds them in place

Chapter 16 - 8

Composite Survey: Fiber-II

Particle-reinforced

Fiber-reinforced

Structural

Fiber Materials
Whiskers - Thin single crystals - large length to diameter ratio
graphite, SiN, SiC
high crystal perfection extremely strong, strongest known
very expensive
Fibers
polycrystalline or amorphous
generally polymers or ceramics
Ex: Al2O3 , Aramid, E-glass, Boron, UHMWPE
Wires
Metal steel, Mo, W

Chapter 16 - 9

Fiber Alignment
Adapted from Fig.
16.8, Callister 7e.

aligned
continuous

aligned
random
discontinuous
Chapter 16 - 10

Composite Survey: Fiber-III

Particle-reinforced
Fiber-reinforced
Aligned Continuous fibers
Examples:
-- Metal: '(Ni3Al)-(Mo)

-- Ceramic: Glass w/SiC fibers

by eutectic solidification.

formed by glass slurry

Eglass = 76 GPa; ESiC = 400 GPa.

matrix: (Mo)
(ductile)

(a)

2 m

fibers:
(Ni3Al) (brittle)
From W. Funk and E. Blank, Creep
deformation of Ni3Al-Mo in-situ
composites", Metall. Trans. A Vol. 19(4), pp.
987-998, 1988. Used with permission.

Structural

(b)

fracture
surface
From F.L. Matthews and R.L.
Rawlings, Composite Materials;
Engineering and Science, Reprint
ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL,
2000. (a) Fig. 4.22, p. 145 (photo by
J. Davies); (b) Fig. 11.20, p. 349
(micrograph by H.S. Kim, P.S.
Rodgers, and R.D. Rawlings). Used
with permission of CRC
Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Chapter 16 - 11

Composite Survey: Fiber-IV

Particle-reinforced
Fiber-reinforced
Discontinuous, random 2D fibers
Example: Carbon-Carbon
-- process: fiber/pitch, then
burn out at up to 2500C.
-- uses: disk brakes, gas
turbine exhaust flaps, nose
cones.

(b)

(a)

Structural
C fibers:
very stiff
very strong

C matrix:
less stiff
view onto plane less strong
fibers lie
in plane

Other variations:
-- Discontinuous, random 3D
-- Discontinuous, 1D

Adapted from F.L. Matthews and R.L. Rawlings,

Composite Materials; Engineering and Science,
Reprint ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2000.
(a) Fig. 4.24(a), p. 151; (b) Fig. 4.24(b) p. 151.
(Courtesy I.J. Davies) Reproduced with
permission of CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Chapter 16 - 12

Composite Survey: Fiber-V

Particle-reinforced
Fiber-reinforced
Structural
Critical fiber length for effective stiffening & strengthening:
fiber strength in tension

"f d
fiber length > 15
!c

fiber diameter
shear strength of
fiber-matrix interface

Ex: For fiberglass, fiber length > 15 mm needed

Why? Longer fibers carry stress more efficiently!
Shorter, thicker fiber:

"f d
fiber length < 15
!c

(x)

Longer, thinner fiber:

fiber length > 15

"f d
!c

(x)
Adapted from Fig.
16.7, Callister 7e.

Poorer fiber efficiency

Better fiber efficiency

Chapter 16 - 13

Composite Strength:
Longitudinal Loading
Continuous fibers - Estimate fiber-reinforced composite
strength for long continuous fibers in a matrix
Longitudinal deformation

c = mVm + fVf
volume fraction

Ece = Em Vm + EfVf

Ff
EfVf
=
Fm E mVm

but

c = m = f
isostrain

longitudinal (extensional)
modulus
f = fiber
m = matrix

Chapter 16 - 14

Composite Strength:
Transverse Loading
In transverse loading the fibers carry less of the load
- isostress
c = m = f =
c= mVm + fVf

1
Vm Vf
=
+
Ect E m Ef

transverse modulus

Chapter 16 - 15

Composite Strength
Particle-reinforced

Fiber-reinforced

Structural

Estimate of Ec and TS for discontinuous fibers:

"f d
-- valid when fiber length > 15
!c
-- Elastic modulus in fiber direction:

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

Values from Table 16.3, Callister 7e.

(Source for Table 16.3 is H. Krenchel,
Fibre Reinforcement, Copenhagen:
Akademisk Forlag, 1964.)

-- TS in fiber direction:

(TS)c = (TS)mVm + (TS)fVf

(aligned 1D)
Chapter 16 - 16

Composite Production Methods-I

Pultrusion
Continuous fibers pulled through resin tank, then
preforming die & oven to cure

Adapted from Fig.

16.13, Callister 7e.
Chapter 16 - 17

Composite Production Methods-II

Filament Winding
Ex: pressure tanks
Continuous filaments wound onto mandrel
Adapted from Fig. 16.15, Callister 7e. [Fig.
16.15 is from N. L. Hancox, (Editor), Fibre
Composite Hybrid Materials, The Macmillan
Company, New York, 1981.]

Chapter 16 - 18

Composite Survey: Structural

Particle-reinforced

Fiber-reinforced

Structural

Stacked and bonded fiber-reinforced sheets

-- stacking sequence: e.g., 0/90
-- benefit: balanced, in-plane stiffness
Adapted from
Fig. 16.16,
Callister 7e.

Sandwich panels
-- low density, honeycomb core
-- benefit: small weight, large bending stiffness
face sheet
adhesive layer
honeycomb
Adapted from Fig. 16.18,
Callister 7e. (Fig. 16.18 is
from Engineered Materials
Handbook, Vol. 1, Composites, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1987.)

Chapter 16 - 19

Composite Benefits
CMCs: Increased toughness
Force

103

particle-reinf

un-reinf

10 -4
6061 Al

ss (s-1)
10 -6

10 -8
10

-10

metal/
metal alloys

.1 G=3E/8 polymers
.01 K=E
.1 .3 1 3 10 30
Density, [mg/m3]

Bend displacement

Increased
creep
resistance

ceramics

E(GPa)
PMCs
102
10

fiber-reinf

MMCs:

PMCs: Increased E/

6061 Al
w/SiC
whiskers

20 30 50

Adapted from T.G. Nieh, "Creep rupture of a

silicon-carbide reinforced aluminum
composite", Metall. Trans. A Vol. 15(1), pp.
139-146, 1984. Used with permission.

(MPa)


100 200

Chapter 16 - 20

Summary
Composites are classified according to:
-- the matrix material (CMC, MMC, PMC)
-- the reinforcement geometry (particles, fibers, layers).

Composites enhance matrix properties:

-- MMC: enhance y, TS, creep performance
-- CMC: enhance Kc
-- PMC: enhance E, y, TS, creep performance
Particulate-reinforced:
-- Elastic modulus can be estimated.
-- Properties are isotropic.
Fiber-reinforced:
-- Elastic modulus and TS can be estimated along fiber dir.
-- Properties can be isotropic or anisotropic.
Structural:
-- Based on build-up of sandwiches in layered form.
Chapter 16 - 21