Unit-3

What is a composite Material?

A materials system composed of two or more physically distinct phases

whose combination produces aggregate properties that are different
from those of its constituents.

or
Two or more chemically distinct materials which when combined have
improved properties over the individual materials. Composites could be
natural or synthetic.
• Composites can be very strong and stiff, yet very light in weight, so
ratios of strength -to - weight and stiffness -to - weight are several
times greater than steel or aluminum.

• Fatigue properties are generally better than for common engineering

metals.

• Toughness is often greater too

• Composites can be designed that do not corrode like steel

• Possible to achieve combinations of properties not attainable with

metals, ceramics, or polymers
•In selecting a composite material, an optimum combination of properties
is usually sought, rather than one particular property

•Fuselage and wings of an aircraft must be lightweight and be strong, stiff,

and tough

•Several fiber reinforced polymers possess this combination of properties

•Example: natural rubber alone is relatively weak; adding significant

amounts of carbon black to NR increases its strength dramatically.
1.Traditional composites – composite materials that occur in nature or have
been produced by civilizations for many years
Examples: wood, concrete, asphalt

2.Synthetic composites - modern material systems normally associated with

the manufacturing industries, in which the components are first produced
separately and then combined in a controlled way to achieve the desired
structure, properties, and part geometry
Nearly all composite materials consist of two phases:
1. Primary phase - forms the matrix within which the secondary
phase is imbedded

2. Secondary phase - imbedded phase sometimes referred to as a

reinforcing agent, because it usually serves to strengthen the
composite
The reinforcing phase may be in the form of fibers, particles, or
various other geometries
 There is always an interface between constituent phases in a composite material
For the composite to operate effectively, the phases must bond where they join at
the interface

Figure 9.4 - Interfaces between phases in a composite material: (a)

direct bonding between primary and secondary phases
:
-- Matrix - is continuous
-- Dispersed - is discontinuous and
surrounded by matrix

Fig.1

8
Composite Structural Organization: the design
variations
Functions of matrix
 Binds fibre
 Act as medium
 Protect fibre
 Prevent propagation of cracks.
Essentials of matrix phase
 It should be ductile
 Bonding strenth should be high
 Corrosion resistant
 Classification of dispersed phase
 The dispersed phase can be fibre particle etc.
 Fibres:
1.Glass fibres
2.Carbon fibres
3.Aramid fibres(Aromatic)
 Particles (metallic or non metallic)
 Flakes : 2-d particles
 Whiskers: thin crystals with high impact ratio e.g. graphite,
silicon carbide etc.
• Provides the bulk form of the part or product made of the composite material.

•Holds the imbedded phase in place, usually enclosing and often concealing it.

•When a load is applied, the matrix shares the load with the secondary phase, in
some cases deforming so that the stress is essentially born by the reinforcing agent.
Function is to reinforce the primary phase
Imbedded phase is most commonly one of the following shapes:
Fibers
Particles
Flakes
In addition, the secondary phase can take the form of an infiltrated phase
in a skeletal or porous matrix
Example: a powder metallurgy part infiltrated with polymer
Micromechanics and Macromechanics
composites
1.Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) - mixtures of ceramics and metals,
such as cemented carbides and other cermets

2.Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) - Al2O3 and SiC imbedded with

fibers to improve properties, especially in high temperature applications
The least common composite matrix

3.Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) - thermosetting resins are widely

used in PMCs
Examples: epoxy and polyester with fiber reinforcement, and phenolic
with powders
Composite Survey
Composites

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

Large- Dispersion- Continuous Discontinuous Laminates Sandwich

particle strengthened (aligned) (short) panels

Aligned Randomly
oriented
Incorporation of two or more fibres within a single
matrix resulted in formation of hybrid composite.
Hybrids: configuration

a b c

d e f
HYBRID COMPOSITES
Hybrid materials are composites consisting of two
constituents at the nanometer or molecular level.
Commonly one of these compounds is inorganic and
the other one organic in nature. Thus, they differ from
traditional composites where the constituents are at the
macroscopic (micrometer to millimeter) level. Mixing
at the microscopic scale leads to a more homogeneous
material that either show characteristics in between the
two original phases or even new properties.
Classification:
Hybrid materials can be classified based on
the possible interactions connecting the
inorganic and organic species.
Class I hybrid materials are those that show
weak interactions between the two phases,
such as van der Waals, hydrogen bonding or
weak electrostatic interactions.
Class II hybrid materials are those that show
strong chemical interactions between the
components such as covalent bonds.
Advantages of hybrid materials over
traditional composites

•Inorganic clusters or nanoparticles with specific optical,

electronic or magnetic properties can be incorporated in
organic polymer matrices.

•Contrary to pure solid state inorganic materials that often

require a high temperature treatment for their processing,
hybrid materials show a more polymer-like handling, either
because of their large organic content or because of the
formation of crosslinked inorganic networks from small
molecular precursors just like in polymerization reactions.
 Applications of HYBRID COMPOSITES

•Scratch-resistant coatings with hydrophobic or anti-fogging properties.

•Nanocomposite based devices for electronic and optoelectronic applications
including light-emitting diodes, photodiodes, solar cells, gas sensors and field
effect transistors.
•Fire retardant materials for construction industry.
•Nanocomposite based dental filling materials.
•Composite electrolyte materials for applications such as solid-state lithium
batteries or supercapacitors.
•Corrosion protection
One-dimensional reinforcement, in which maximum strength and stiffness are
obtained in the direction of the fiber

Planar reinforcement, in some cases in the form of a two-dimensional woven

fabric

Random or three-dimensional in which the composite material tends to possess

isotropic properties
Fiber materials in fiber reinforced composites:
Glass – most widely used filament
Carbon – high elastic modulus
Boron – very high elastic modulus
Polymers - Kevlar
Ceramics – SiC and Al2O3
Metals - steel
The most important commercial use of fibers is in polymer composites
 Note: Fiber composite
manufacturers often rotate layers
of fibers to avoid directional
variations in the modulus.
Aerospace – much of the structural weight of todays airplanes and
helicopters consist of advanced FRPs.

Automotive – somebody panels for cars and truck cabs

Continued use of low-carbon sheet steel in cars is evidence of its low
cost and ease of processing.

Sports and recreation

Fiberglass reinforced plastic has been used for boat hulls since the
1940s
Fishing rods, tennis rackets, golf club shafts, helmets, skis, bows and
arrows.
• Particulate Methods: Sintering
• Fiber reinforced: Several
• Structural: Usually Hand lay-up and
atmospheric curing or vacuum curing
Irwin/McGraw-Hill © 2000 Th e McGraw- Hill Comp anies, Inc.,
Open Mold Processes
Only one mold (male or female) is needed and may be made of
any material such as wood, reinforced plastic or , for longer runs,
sheet metal or electroformed nickel. The final part is usually very
smooth.

Shaping. Steps that may be taken for high quality

1. Mold release agent (silicone, polyvinyl alcohol, fluorocarbon, or
sometimes, plastic film) is first applied.
2. Unreinforced surface layer (gel coat) may be deposited for best
surface quality.
Hand Lay-Up: The resin and fiber (or pieces cut from prepreg) are
placed manually, air is expelled with squeegees and if necessary, multiple
layers are built up.
· Hardening is at room temperature but may be improved by heating.
· Void volume is typically 1%.
· Foam cores may be incorporated (and left in the part) for greater shape
complexity. Thus essentially all shapes can be produced.
· Process is slow (deposition rate around 1 kg/h) and labor-intensive
· Quality is highly dependent on operator skill.
· Extensively used for products such as airframe components, boats, truck
bodies, tanks, swimming pools, and ducts.
 SPRAY-UP MOLDING
A spray gun supplying resin in two converging streams into
which roving is chopped
· Automation with robots results in highly reproducible
production
· Labor costs are lower
 Tape-Laying Machines
(Automated Lay-Up)

Cut and lay the ply or prepreg under computer control and
without tension; may allow reentrant shapes to be made.
· Cost is about half of hand lay-up
· Extensively used for products such as airframe components,
boats, truck bodies, tanks, swimming pools, and ducts.
 Energy harvesting materials
 What is energy harvesting?
 The process by which energy is derived from external
sources
 Why use energy harvesting?
 Renewable source
 Allows for remote charging in applications
Sources of Energy

Energy harvesting uses unconventional

sources to power circuitry:

• Light (captured by photovoltaic cells)

• Vibration or pressure (captured by a
piezoelectric element)
• Temperature differentials (captured by
a thermo-electric generator)
• Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency
(3k-300GHz, captured by an antenna,
λ=c/f)
 Self-Sensing Piezoelectric Transducers
•Device that converts one form of energy to another form for various purposes including
measurement or information transfer.
•
• Energy may be of any kind electrical, mechanical, chemical, optical.

inearity : i/p – o/p characteristics should be linear.

• Stability : o/p should be stable to change in temp & other environmental factors.

• Ruggedness : capable of withstanding overloads, with measures of overload protection.

• Repeatability : should produce identical output signals.

• Dynamic Response: should respond to changes in i/p as quickly as possible.

• Reliability: should withstand mechanical strains without affecting the performance of the
transducer

•Self generating, does not require external source.

Books and references
1. Engineering Chemistry by Jain & Jain
2. A text book of Engineering Chemistry by Shashi Chawla

•en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_material
•www.substech.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=classification_of_
composites