Composite Materials
Shivan I. Abdullah
Mechanical Eng. Dep.
University of Zakho
October 2022
Outline
Introduction to composite Materials
Types of composites
Fibrous Reinforcements
Strength of Composites
Laminar Composites
Introduction to composite Materials
Historical background:
Old civilizations over 5000 years ago started using composites made from
mud and horse hair for making bricks.
Babylons in 1750 BC were using bitumen reinforced plated straw for making
way.
Modern composites are Mongolian bows which are laminates of wood,
animal tendons, and silk.
Japanese samurai swords were made from tough ductile steel layers
alternatively with oxides.
Definition of composites:
Composites may be defined as “materials having combined by two or more
various components or phases and their components having significantly
different physical properties to enhance their physical, chemical and/or
mechanical, and/ or thermal properties”.
“A combination of two or more materials (polymer, metal or ceramic with
either fiber or filler) differing in form or composition on a macro-scale,
micro- scale or nano- scale”.
They do not dissolve or combine into each other, although they act in concert.
Normally, the components can be physically identified and exhibit an
interface between each other.
Why Composites?
Because of the advantages of composites over traditional materials
such as..
Better corrosion resistance
High strength to weight ratio
Low maintenance
Extended service life
Design flexibility
Easy manufacturability
Composites Market
Transportation
Construction
Marine
Corrosion-resistant
Electrical/Electronic
Appliances/Business
Aircraft/Defense
Use of Composites in Military Aircraft.
The Boeing 787 has 50% of its primary
structure made of composites.
All composite skin and much of other structure Commercial Transport Aircraft
The Matrix Composition of Composites
A matrix composites is made by spread a reinforced material into a matrix.
Matrix: A monolithic material that surrounds and supports the reinforcement
materials by keep their relative position.
Reinforcing material: A compound that is used to reinforce the matrix
material strength and also used to change its properties such as wear
resistance , friction coefficient or thermal conductivity.
New materials can be designed by enhancing the properties of traditional
materials to develop new properties in the composites material.
Two traditional materials can be combined to compose a new material which
shares the properties of both materials it was made from.
In its simplest form a composite material consists of two dissimilar
materials in which one material forms a matrix to bond together the other
(reinforcement ) material.
What is FRP?
Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites are defined as“A matrix of
polymeric material that is reinforced by fibers or other reinforcing
material which enhances their mechanical strength and reduces the
shrinkage”.
There are two types of reinforcement used in plastics.
Fibrous materials like cotton, nylon, polyester, rayon, glass,
carbon/graphite etc and.
Non-fibrous metal fillers like solid glass micro-spheres. These fillers are
known as particulate fillers.
Reinforced Plastics
Combination of fiber as well as metal reinforcement can be possible.
They are known as hybrid composites.
To enhance the bonding between various components, processing support
will be required in the compound.
In a reinforced plastics, the stress in the weaker polymer matrix is
transferred to stronger fibers.
Glass fiber is the most popular reinforcement in both thermoplastic as
well thermoset polymers. It increases the mechanical properties of the
composite by 1.5 to 2 times.
Carbon/graphite fiber reinforcement improves the mechanical strength by
3 times. It also imparts conductivity to the material.
Types of Composites
Composites are classified based on the matrix materials.
Metal Matrix Composites (MMC)
Ceramic Matrix composites (CMC)
Plastics Matrix Composites (PMC)
Composites are classified based on the filler materials.
Particulate reinforced composites
Fiber reinforced composites
Structural reinforced composites
Metal Matrix Composites (MMC)
Metals are the oldest of the three major classes of materials that
have been used as a matrix material for composites.
Metals are easy to fabricate into usable form.
They are rigid and flexible with high modulus of elasticity.
They have very good shear modulus combined with a high ultimate
strength.
Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC)
Thermoplastics eg. Polyolefin, Nylon, etc.
Thermosets eg. epoxies, polyesters etc.
Rubber eg. Natural rubber, Synthetic rubbers.
Polymer matrix composites are very easy to fabricate.
The properties of the composites are based on the type of filler material
used.
The properties of the composites also depends on the processing
parameters.
For higher performance requirements, such as in aerospace applications,
epoxies are most commonly used.
Epoxies have reasonably high modulus and strength.
Epoxy service temperature to 125-175ºC.
Epoxies indicate low shrinkage (good for adhesives).
Fibrous Reinforcements
Combination of fibers into the matrix materials.
Fibers are long strands with small diameter.
Primary function of fibers is to “carry load along the length of the
fiber and provide strength and/or stiffness in one direction” of the
matrix material.
Fibers can be oriented to provide properties in directions of primary
loads.
Fiber Orientation
Anisotropic or unidirectional
Isotropic or bidirectional
Bias - tailored direction
0º - flexural strengthening
90º - column wraps
+ /- 45º - shear strengthening
Angle varies by application
Types of Fiber
Glass fibers
Carbon fibers
Carbon/glass hybrids
Aramid fibers
Aramid hybrids
Ceramic fibras
Metallic fibers
Thermoplastic fibers
Properties of Fibrous Materials
Density (g/cc)
Tensile strength (N/mm2 or MPa)
Modulus (GPa)
Strain to failure
Co-efficient of thermal expansion in longitudinal direction
Thermal conductivity (BTU-in/hr-ft² - 0F)
Strength of Composites
The interface region between the fiber and matrix:-
Bonding Mechanism
If the surface of two bodies come into contact when they are brought close to
each other (commonly one of the bodies in liquid form).
(a) Isolated contact –Weak
adhesion
(b) Contact angle „θ‟Surface
energy „γ‟S-Solid; L-Liquid ,V-
Vapor
Interdiffusion and chemical reaction:
Various types of diffusion process which promotes adhesion can take
place at the interface.
(a) Diffusion of free chain end sat the
interface between two polymers, leads to
chain entanglement
(b) Electrostatic attraction
Failure modes of long-fiber composites
Axial tensile failure
Transverse tensile failure
Shear failure
Failure in compression
Compressive stress along the fiber axis is
applied, carbon fiber/epoxy composite
specimen
Tensile cracking of laminates
(a) Cracking of transverse plies
(b) Onset of cracking parallel to the fibers in axial plies
(c) Final failure as in axial plies
Laminar Composites
construction of a honeycomb core
Fiber-reinforced layers for a laminar
sandwich panel.
composite.
Structure of concrete
Home work
Polymers and Ceramic materials
References
Rajender Singh, Textbook "Introduction to Basic Manufacturing
Processes and Workshop Technology" Daryaganj, New Delhi –
110002.
H.N.Gupta , R.C.Gupta , Arun Mittal, Textbook" Manufacturing
Processes‟‟, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi – 110002.
Althouse , Turnquist , Bowditch , Textbook" Modern Welding,
Tinley Park, Illionis , United State , 2004.
