Composites

Composites
Very important in our 21st Century world
Listed as one of the top 10 greatest
engineering developments of last quarter
of the 20th Century
Others: Apollo moon landing, unmanned
satellites, microprocessor, CAD, CT scan,
jumbo jet, lasers, fiber-optic communication,
genetic engineering
 What are composites?
Solid materials composed of a binder or
matrix that surrounds and holds in place
reinforcements.
The material consists of two (or more) phases
One of the phases is continuous (the matrix)
The other phase is discontinuous (the
reinforcement)
The phases can be thought of as a group of
islands (discontinuous) in a sea (continuous)
 Composites Offer
High Strength
Light Weight
Design Flexibility
Consolidation of Parts
Net Shape Manufacturing
 Constituents of composite materials

1. Matrix phase
Continuous phase, the primary phase.
It holds the dispersed phase and shares a load with it.

2. Dispersed (reinforcing) phase

The second phase (or phases) is imbedded in the matrix in a
continuous/discontinuous form.
Dispersed phase is usually stronger than the matrix, therefore it is sometimes
called reinforcing phase.

3. Interface
Zone across which matrix and reinforcing phases interact (chemical, physical,
mechanical)
 Matrix purposes
Hold the reinforcements together
Give shape to the object
Transfer loads to the reinforcements
Protect the reinforcements
Heat
Weather
Flammability
Impacts
Solvent/water
 Reinforcement purposes
Carry the load (most mechanical
properties)
Give directionality of some properties
(optional)
 Interface: Function

To transfer the stress from matrix to

reinforcement

Sometimes surface treatment is carried out

to achieve the required bonding to the matrix
Interface
The interface is the surface between the
reinforcement and the matrix that determines the
tense transfer process of the matrix-reinforcement-
matrix, which affects on :
- specific strength
- specific stiffness
- fracture toughness
- creep endurance
Types of interfacial bonding:
Molecule entanglement the existence
of bonds between molecules on the
surface of reinforce (e.g. fiber) and matrix.
Electrostatic different atomic charge
between the reinforce and the matrix on
the interface surface which results in
attraction, if there is gas, the bond
weakens.
 Chemical reaction at the interface
there are some functional group which
may be bonded each other between
reinforcement and dan matrix
Mechanical bonding the existence of
interlocking mechanism on the surface, so
the more coarse surface the stronger the
bond between reinforcement and matrix
 Basic Materials a primer
Three types of solid materials
Ceramics
Metals
Polymers
These differ, at the most fundamental
level, in the types of bonds between the
atoms
Periodic Table of the Elements
Metals Non-Metals
Ceramics Polymers
(Ionic Bonds) (Covalent Bonds)

Metals
(Metallic Bonds)
 Polymers
Polymers can be natural (like wood,
cotton, wool, leather)
Polymers can be man-made (plastics)
Polymers can be easily shaped (molded)
Polymers have other advantages over
ceramics and metals
 Polymers
Made from small molecules (monomers)
which are linked together
mono means one
mer means unit
The linked monomers form a chain-like
structure called a polymer
poly means many
The links are the covalent bonds between
the atoms
 Monomers Polymers
M

M M M

M
M M M
M

M M
Covalent
M Bonds
M

M Polymer
M

M
 Polymers

H
H
H
H C
H H
C H

H C H
C
C
H C C H
H

H
H Monomer
C H

Polymer
 Polymers
Many millions of chains exist in the typical
polymeric part
The chains are intertwined
Like a mass of spaghetti
What determines physical, chemical
and mechanical properties of
materials?

Molecular shape and movement

Crystallinity
Thermal transitions and crosslinks
Aromaticity
Pendant groups
Chemical nature of the backbone
Bonding between matrix and reinforcements
Polarity (like attracts like)
 Polymers Physical structure
Amorphous Polymers that have no regular
internal structure (just like the spaghetti)
Semi-crystalline Polymers that have some
internal structure (regular packing)
Semi-crystalline polymers vary in the amount of
packing (crystallinity)
Semi-crystalline polymers with high percentage of
packing are sometimes called crystalline
No polymers are 100% crystalline
 Amorphous and Crystalline

Crystal
Regions

Amorphous Semi-Crystalline or Crystalline

(random entanglement) (regular packing)
 Polymers melting, molecular
weight, crosslinking
Polymers are classified into two groups
depending on whether they are crosslinked
Thermoplastics (not crosslinked)
Thermosets (crosslinked)
Crosslinks are covalent bonds that link
between the polymer chains
When crosslinking occurs, the polymers will no
longer melt
When heated to a high temperature, they burn or char
 Thermoplastics
Thermoplastics are not crosslinked and so they
will melt
Thermoplastics are processed (molded) as
molten liquids
Thermoplastics are cooled to solidify
Thermoplastics can be re-melted repeatedly
Kitchen example:

candy

Examples of thermoplastics: polyethylene,

polystyrene, nylon, polycarbonate, acrylic,
Teflon, PET (thermoplastic polyester)
 Thermosets
Thermosets are crosslinked and do not melt
Crosslinking is sometimes called curing
Thermosets are processed as room
temperature liquids
Thermosets are heated to solidify
Kitchen example:

cake

Examples of thermosets: polyesters, vinyl

esters, epoxies, phenolics, polyimides, silicones
 Thermal Transitions
Heat Distortion Temperature (HDT)
Glass transition temperature (Tg)
Melting point (Tm)
Decomposition temperature (Td)

Semi-crystalline
thermoplastic HDT Tg Tm Td

Hard, stiff Leathery Liquid Degraded

HDT Tg Td (Tm)
Thermoset

Hard, stiff Semi-rigid Degraded, Char

Temperature
The Great Dilemma in Polymers
Polymers must have Polymers must have
good properties good processing
Good properties are Good processing is
favored by high favored by low
molecular weight molecular weight
Mechanical Properties

Ease of Processing

Molecular Weight Molecular Weight

 The Great Dilemma In Polymers
Thermoplastics meet the dilemma by
compromise
High enough molecular weight to get adequate
properties
Low enough molecular weight to process OK
Thermosets meet the dilemma by
crosslinking
Low molecular weight initially (for wetout and
processing) followed by curing to increase
molecular weight
No compromise is required
 Polymers Molecular shape
Aromatic Contains the benzene group
(sometimes called phenyl group)
Named aromatic because it tends to have a strong
smell (like styrene)
Increases stiffness
Increases strength
Increases non-flammability
Aliphatic Does not contain the benzene group
Increases flexibility
Increases toughness
Increases weatherability
 ...C C C C...
...C ( C C )nC... C
C C
Polyethylene (no aromatic)
C C
C
C C C C
Polystyrene (pendant
C C C O C C C C C O C... aromatic)
O C C C C
Epoxy (aromatic backbone)
HO HO OH

O
....C C C C C...
C C C C C C C C C C C C
...C C C N C C C C... C C C C C C
C C C
C C H C C
C C C
Kevlar (aromatic backbone) HO C C C OH
C C C C C C C C
C C C C C C
....C C C C C...

Phenolic (aromatic network)

 Bonding
Bonding is strongest when electrons are:
Transferred (ceramics)
Shared by many atoms (metals)
Shared by two atoms (covalent)
Weak bonding occurs without electrons
being transferred or shared
These weak bonds depend upon polarity
 Polarity
N S S N

S N S N

O
d+
d- H H
d+
O
d- d+ d-
d+
C O C O ...C C O C...
d-
O
H H
Polyester is attacked by water molecules
Bonding in polymers by polarity
Polar areas on the polymers attract other
polar areas on other molecules.
Opposite charges attract
The most electronegative atoms are those
that cause polarity
The electronegative atoms are: F, O, N, Cl
These are all in the upper right corner of the
periodic table
Non-polar areas attract other non-polar
areas
 Bonding
OH OH Fiberglass A highly polar molecule
d+
...O Si O Si O...
OH d-OH Sizing (alkylsilane) Mixed polar/non-polar

CH3
d+
H3C Si O C C C C C C C...
CH3
Nonpolar regions (weak attraction)
d-
O
....C C O C C C C C...
d+

Polyester Largely non-polar

Two types of composites are:
Fiber Reinforced Particle Reinforced
Composites Composites
 Properties of Composites
Dependent on:
constituent phases
relative amounts
geometry of dispersed phase
shape of particles
particle size
particle distribution
particle orientation
 Composite Parameters
For a given matrix/dispersed phase system:
Concentration
Size
Shape
Distribution
Orientation
 Parameters

Distribution Concentration Orientation

Shape Size