ME 4301: Advanced Materials Engineering

L1 – Introduction to Composite Materials

Dr. P.R.D Weerasooriya

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
University of Ruhuna
 What are Composite Materials?
• Any combination of two or more different materials at the macroscopic
level.
or
• Two inherently different materials that when combined together produce a
material with properties that exceed the constituent materials.
 Reinforcement phase (e.g., Fibers)
 Binder phase (e.g., compliant matrix)

Therefore, composites are combinations of two materials in which one of

the material is called the reinforcing phase, is in the form of fibers, sheets,
or particles, and is embedded in the other material called the matrix phase.

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 Matrix Reinforcement
Thermoplastic Glass, Aramid, Carbon,
Thermoset
Nylon Natural Fibres
Polyester
PP Metals Tungsten
Vinyl Ester
PET Ceramics Aluminium
Epoxy
ABS Molybdenum
Phenolic
PC Ceramic

Composites

Polymer Matrix Ceramic Matrix Metal Matrix

Composites (PMC) Composites (CMC) Composites (MMC)
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 Matrix
phase/Reinforcement Metal Ceramic Polymer
Phase
Powder metallurgy parts Cermets (ceramic-metal Brake pads
Metal – combining immiscible composite)
metals
Cermets, TiC, TiCN SiC reinforced Fiberglass
Cemented carbides – Tool materials
Ceramic used in tools
Fiber-reinforced metals

Kevlar fibers in an epoxy

Polymer matrix

Fiber reinforced metals Rubber with carbon

Elemental (Carbon, Auto parts (tires)
Boron, etc.) aerospace Boron, Carbon
reinforced plastics

MMC’s CMC’s PMC’s

Metal Matrix Composites Ceramic Matrix Comp’s. Polymer Matrix Comp’s

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Advantages of Composite Materials
• High strength and stiffness
• Low weight
• Tailored design
• Manufacturing easiness
• Fatigue life
• Dimensional stability
• Corrosion resistance

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Limitations of Composite Materials
• Non homogeneous
• Anisotropic
• Expensive
• Difficult to fabricate
• Sensitivity to temperature
• Sensitivity to Moisture

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 Applications of Composite Materials
• Aerospace industry
• Marine engineering
• Automotive
• Wind turbine manufacturing
• Construction
• Sporting
• Locomotive
• Structural developments
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 Costs of Composite Manufacture
1. Material costs - higher for composites
 Constituent materials (ex: fibers and resin)
 Processing costs - embedding fibers in matrix
2. Design costs - lower for composites
 Can reduce the number of parts in a complex assembly by designing the
material in combination with the structure

• Increased performance must justify higher material costs

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 Types of Composite Materials
1. Fibre
2. Particle
3. Flake
4. Laminar
5. Filler

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 Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
1. Fibre Composites
In fiber composites, the fibers reinforce along the line of
their length. Reinforcement may be mainly 1-D, 2-D or 3-D
based on fibre orientation.

• 1-D gives maximum strength in one direction.

• 2-D gives strength in two directions.

• Isotropic gives strength equally in all directions.

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 Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
1. Fibre Composites (Cont.)
Strength of the composited depend on;

• Inherent fiber strength, Fiber length, Number of

flaws

• Fiber shape

• The bonding of the fiber (equally stress distribution)

• Voids

• Moisture (coupling agents)

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 Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
2. Particle Composites
• Particles usually reinforce a composite equally in all directions (called
isotropic).
• Plastics, cermets, and metals are examples of particles.
• Particles used to strengthen a matrix do not do so in the same way as
fibers.
• Particles are not directional like fibers.
• Spread at random throughout a matrix, particles tend to reinforce in all
directions equally.

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 Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
2. Particle Composites (Cont.)

• Cermets
 Oxide–Based cermets
(Ex: Combination of with Cr)
 Carbide–Based Cermets
(Ex: Tungsten–carbide, titanium–carbide)
• Metal–plastic particle composites
(Ex: Aluminum, iron & steel, copper particles)
• Metal–in–metal Particle Composites and Dispersion Hardened Alloys
(Ex: Ceramic–oxide particles)

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 Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
3. Flake Composites
• Flakes, because of their shape, usually reinforce in 2-D.
• Two common flake materials are glass and mica. (Aluminum is used as
metal flakes)

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 Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
3. Flake Composites (Cont.)
• A flake composite consists of thin, flat flakes held together by a binder
or placed in a matrix.
• Almost all flake composite matrices are plastic resins.
• The most important flake materials are;
 Aluminum
 Mica
 Glass

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Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
3. Flake Composites (Cont.)

Basically, flakes will provide:

• Uniform mechanical properties in the plane of the flakes
• Higher strength
• Higher flexural modulus
• Higher dielectric strength and heat resistance
• Better resistance to penetration by liquids and vapor
• Lower cost

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Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
4. Laminar Composites

• A lamina (laminae) is any arrangement of

unidirectional or woven fibers in a matrix.

• A laminate is a stack of lamina arranged

with their main reinforcement in at least
two different directions.

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Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
4. Laminar Composites (Cont.)
• Laminar composites involve two or more layers of the same or
different materials.
• The layers can be arranged in different directions to give strength
where needed.
• Speedboat hulls are among the very many products of this kind.
• Like all composites laminar composites aim at combining
constituents to produce properties that neither constituent alone
would have.
• In laminar composites outer metal is not called a matrix but a face.
The inner metal, even if stronger, is not called a reinforcement. It is
called a base.
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Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
4. Laminar Composites (Cont.)
There are three basic types:
• Unreinforced–layer composites
(1) All–Metal
(a) Plated and coated metals (electrogalvanized steel – steel plated with
zinc)
(b) Clad metals (aluminum–clad, copper–clad)
(c) Multilayer metal laminates (tungsten, beryllium)
(2) Metal–Nonmetal (metal with plastic, rubber, etc.)
(3) Nonmetal (glass–plastic laminates, etc.)
• Reinforced–layer composites (laminae and laminates)
• Combined composites (reinforced–plastic laminates well bonded with steel,
aluminum, copper, rubber, gold, etc.)
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Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
4. Laminar Composites (Cont.)
• Possible to combine several different materials into a single
composite as well as a single product.
• A good example is a modern ski (combination of wood as natural
fiber, and layers as laminar composites)

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Types of Composite Materials (Cont.)
5. Filled Composites
• There are two types of filled composites.
1. In first one, filler materials are added to a normal composite
result in strengthening the composite and reducing weight.
2. The second type of filled composite consists of a skeletal 3-D
matrix holding a second material.
• The most widely used composites of this kind are sandwich
structures and honeycombs.

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase
• Fibers
 Cross-section can be circular, square or hexagonal
 Diameters --> 0.0001” - 0.005 “
 Lengths --> L/D ratio
o 100 -- for chopped fiber
o much longer for continuous fiber
• Particulate
 Small particles that impede dislocation movement (in metal composites)
and strengthens the matrix
 For sizes > 1 mm, strength of particle is involves in load sharing with matrix
• Flakes
 Flat platelet form

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers
• The typical composite consists of a matrix holding reinforcing
materials.
• The reinforcing materials, the most important is the fibers, supply
the basic strength of the composite.
• Reinforcing materials can contribute much more than strength.
• They can conduct heat or resist chemical corrosion and resist or
conduct electricity.
• They may be chosen for their stiffness (modulus of elasticity) or for
many other properties.

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Glass
• Fiberglass properties vary somewhat according to the type of glass
used.
• However, glass in general has several well–known properties that
contribute to its great usefulness as a reinforcing agent:
 Tensile strength
 Chemical resistance
 Moisture resistance
 Thermal properties
 Electrical properties

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Glass (Cont.)
• There are four main types of glass used in fiberglass:
1. A–glass
2. C–glass
3. E–glass
4. S–glass

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Glass (Cont.)
• Most widely used fiber
• Uses: piping, tanks, boats, sporting goods
• Advantages
 Low cost
 Corrosion resistance
• Disadvantages
 Relatively low strength
 High elongation
 Moderate strength and weight
• Types:
 E-Glass - cheaper
 S-Glass - high strength
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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Aramid (Kevlar, Twaron)
• Uses:
 High performance replacement for glass fiber
• Examples
 Armor, protective clothing, industrial applications, sporting goods
• Advantages:
 Higher strength and lighter than glass
 More ductile than carbon

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Carbon
• 2nd most widely used fiber
• Examples
 Aerospace, sporting goods
• Advantages
 High stiffness and strength
 Low density
 Intermediate cost

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Others
• Boron
 High stiffness, very high cost
 Large diameter - 200 microns
 Good compressive strength
• Polyethylene - trade name: Spectra fiber
 Textile industry
 High strength
 Extremely light weight
 Low range of temperature usage

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Forms of Reinforcement Phase (Cont.)
1. Fibers (Cont.)
Fibres- Others (Cont.)
• Ceramic Fibers (and matrices)
 Very high temperature applications (e.g. engine components)
 Infrequent use

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Matrix Materials
• Functions of the matrix
 Transmit force between fibers
 Arrest cracks from spreading between fibers
o do not carry most of the load
 Hold fibers in proper orientation
 Protect fibers from environment
o mechanical forces can cause cracks that allow environment to affect fibers
• Demands on matrix
 Interlaminar shear strength
 Toughness
 Moisture/environmental resistance
 Temperature properties
 Cost

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Matrices- Polymeric
• The polymer is called resin system during processing and matrix
after the polymer has cured.
• Most linear polymers and branched structure polymers with flexible
chains are thermoplastics.
• This is in contrast to thermosetting polymers, which do not soften
when heated due to strong covalent crosslinks.
• Thermoset polymers are generally harder and stronger
than thermoplastics and have better dimensional stability.

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
• Thermosetting resins have low viscosity which allows for excellent
impregnation of the fiber reinforcement and high processing speeds.
• Shelf life: Time that the unmixed resin system can be stored without
degredation. (Refrigerated storage is usually recommended)
• Pot life or gel time: Time the mixed resin can be handled before the
viscosity grows to a point where processing is no longer possible.

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
• Curing can vary from minutes to hours (depending on the choice of
the catalyst and reactivity of the resin).
• The reactions are exothermic.
• Once cured, the mixture thickens, releases heat, solidifies and
shrinks.
• The volumetric shrinkage upon curing varies from 4% for epoxy to
8% for polyester.
• Since the fiber reinforcement does not shrink, internal stress can be
induced causing cracking, fiber misalignment, dimensional
inaccuracy, and surface roughness.

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
• Thermosets, because of their three-dimensional crosslinked
structure, tend to have high dimensional stability, high-temperature
resistance, and good resistance to solvents.
• The most common thermoset resins are polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy
and phenolics.
• Thermosetting polyesters are commonly used in fiber-reinforced
plastics, and epoxies make up most of the current market for
advanced composites resins.

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
Thermosets
• Cure by chemical reaction
• Irreversible
• Examples
 Polyester, Vinyl ester
o Most common, lower cost, solvent resistance
 Epoxy resins
o Superior performance, relatively costly

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
Thermosets (Cont.)
Polyester
• Polyesters have good mechanical properties, electrical properties,
and chemical resistance.
• Polyesters are amenable to multiple fabrication techniques and are
low cost.
Vinyl Esters
• Vinyl Esters are similar to polyester in performance.
• Vinyl esters have increased resistance to corrosive environments as
well as a high degree of moisture resistance.

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
Thermosets (Cont.)
Epoxy
• Epoxies have improved strength and stiffness properties over
polyesters.
• Epoxies offer excellent corrosion resistance and resistance to
solvents and alkalis.
• Cure cycles are usually longer than polyesters, however no by-
products are produced.
• Flexibility and improved performance is also achieved by the
utilization of additives and fillers.

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Matrices- Polymeric (Cont.)
Thermoplastics
• Formed by heating to elevated temperature at which softening
occurs
 Reversible reaction
 Can be reformed and/or repaired - not common
 Limited in temperature range to 150°C
• Examples
 Polypropylene
o with nylon or glass
o can be injected- inexpensive
 Soften layers of combined fiber and resin and place in a mold- higher costs

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Matrices
Others
• Metal Matrix Composites - higher temperature
 Ex: Aluminum with boron or carbon fibers
• Ceramic matrix materials - very high temperature
 Fiber is used to add toughness, not necessarily higher in strength and
stiffness

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