Composites

COMPOSITE = Matrix + Filler/Reinforcement Agent

(Continuous Phase) (Dispersed Phase)
(Material in greater amount) (Material in lesser amount)
Composite materials are the combined materials with the objective of getting a
more desirable combination of properties, e.g. flexibility and weight of polymer plus strength of ceramic.
History of Composites
 1500 BC: Mixture of Mud and Straw for buildings by Egyptians
 1200 AD: Combination of Wood, Bone and Animal Glue to construct Mongolian Bows
 Early 1900s: Birth of Plastic Era (First fiberglass composite 1935)
 WW-II: Driving Early Composite Invention. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) laboratory turned into
industry.
 Adopting Composites
 Continues Advancements in Composites: 1970 composite industry began to mature

Function of Matrix
 Support to the filler/reinforcement agent
 Protection of the filler/reinforcement agent
 Even distribution of load between the filler/reinforcement agent to manage strain
 Improved impact and fracture resistance
 Avoid crack propagation through the fiber

Properties of Reinforcement
Reinforcement is used to change physical properties such as wear resistance, friction coefficient or thermal
conductivity.
Reinforcement agent:
 Particulate (Carbon dots)  2-D (Flakes, mats)
 1-D (fibers, whiskers)  3-D (Nanotubes, nanocrystals)
Reinforcements must be of:
 Low density  Good processability
 Mechanical compatibility  Economic efficiency
 Thermal stability

Classification of Composites
 By Geometry of Reinforcement Agent
 By Matrix Material

By Geometry of Reinforcement Agent

Particulate Composites
Particles suspended in matrix. Particles can be of any shape, size or configuration.
Examples are concrete and particle board.
Types:
 Large Particle Composite: contains flakes with large ratios of area to thickness, e.g. particle board
 Dispersion Strengthened Particle Composite: (also known as Filled/skeletal PC) contain a continuous
skeletal matrix filled by small particles of a second material, e.g. honeycomb core filled with insulating
particles of 10-100 nm size.
 The response of a particulate composite can be either anisotropic or orthotropic.
 PC have applications in which strength is not a significant component of the design.

Fiber Reinforced Composites

Composite that consists of three components:
 Fibers as the discontinuous or dispersed phase
 Matrix as the continuous phase
 Fine interphase, also known as interface
Fiber-reinforced composites are composed of axial particulates embedded in a matrix material. FRC have high
specific strength and high specific modulus i.e. high elastic modulus for its weight. Classic examples are
fiberglass and wood.
Types:
1. Aligned
 Continuous Aligned Fiber Composite  Discontinuous Aligned Fiber Composite
2. Random Fiber Composite
3. Woven Fiber Composites
Some general categories of fibers based on cross section:
Whiskers
 Very small diameter (~1 micron) single crystals
 Strong because they are virtually flaw free
 Expensive
 Difficult to put in a matrix
 Examples graphite, SiN, Al2O3
Fibers
 Small diameters (~10 microns)
 Polycrystalline or amorphous
Wires
 Large diameters (~25 microns)
 Made from metals such as steel, Mo, W

Fiber Materials for Fiberglass

Carbon fibers are made of graphitic and nanocrystalline regions. It has the highest specific strength and
specific modulus of all fiber materials. It retains tensile strength at high temperatures and is not affected by
moisture, solvents, acids or bases at room temperatures. However, at high temperatures it is subject to
oxidation.
Advanced Fiber-Reinforced Composite Systems Other Than Fiberglass
 Advanced composites include those systems in which reinforcing fibers have moduli higher than that
of E-glass.
Here is a list of a variety of advanced composite systems.

 Kevlar (high-performance composite applications): light weight, high strength and stiffness, damage
resistance, and resistance to fatigue, creep, and stress rupture.
 Carbon fibers: highest specific strength and specific modulus, tensile strength at high temperatures,
resistant to moisture, solvents, acids or bases at room temperatures. However, at high temperatures it
is subject to oxidation.

Structural composites
Structural composites are engineered products made from plastic, wood, glass, or carbon fiber materials.
These low maintenance products are resistant to cracking and can be smooth or have a simulated wood grain.
TYPES:
Laminar Composites: is composed of two dimensional sheets or panels that have a preferred high-strength
direction such as is found in wood and continuous and aligned fiber-reinforced plastics.
Sandwich Panels: consists of two outer sheets, or faces, that are separated by and adhesively bonded to a
thicker core, of three categories: rigid polymeric foams (phenolic, epoxy, polyurethanes), wood (i.e., balsa
wood) and honeycombs.

Classification by Matrix
 PMC: Polymer Matrix Composite
 MMC: Metal Matrix Composite
 CMC: Ceramic Matrix Composite
 CC: Carbon Composites

Synthesis of Composites
Hydrothermal Synthesis: Involves precipitation of composites from the corresponding homogenous /
heterogeneous solution. It is used to synthesize single crystals of minerals that solubilize in hot water under
high pressure
Sol-gel Synthesis: This is a wet-chemical technique used for the fabrication of both glassy and ceramic
materials. In this process, the sol (or solution) evolves gradually towards the formation of a gel-like network
containing both a liquid phase and a solid phase.
Polymerized Complex Method: A wet chemical method using polymeric precursor based on Pechini process
has been employed to prepare a wide variety of ceramic oxides. It is modified sol-gel process with polymer
precursors
Chemical Vapor Deposition: deposits a film of solid material on a heated surface from a chemical reaction in
the vapor phase. Curing Synthesis: Use of heat, pressure, Electron beam, X-rays, microwave, UV radiation etc
M
a
t
e
m
-
n
o
N
c
i
l
r
Material Selection

Some Common Terms You Need to Know

 Stress (σ sigma) is the applied force per unit area. Its unit is the same as
pressure which is N/m²
 Strain (ε Epsilon) is the apparent change in the shape, volume or length of
object caused due to stress is called strain. Strain has no unit.
 Strain is given as a fractional change in length (under tensile stress) or volume
(under bulk stress) or geometry (under shear stress (τ Tau))

Assignments
 How do you think strengthening mechanism differs between large-particle and dispersion-
strengthened particle composites?
 Describe one merit and one demerit of discontinuous-aligned and discontinuous-random fiber
composites?
References:
 Agarwal, B. D. and L. J. Broutman, Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites, 2nd edition, Wiley,
New York, 1990.
 Ashbee, K. H., Fundamental Principles of Fiber Re- inforced Composites, 2 nd edition, Technomic
Publishing Company, Lancaster, PA, 1993.
 ASM Handbook, Vol. 21, Composites, ASM Inter- national, Materials Park, OH, 2001.
 Chawla, K. K., Composite Materials Science and Engineering, 2nd edition, Springer-Verlag, New York,
1998
 Chou, T. W., R. L. McCullough, and R. B. Pipes, “Composites,” Scientific American, Vol. 255, No. 4,
October 1986, pp. 192–203. Hollaway, L. (Editor), Handbook of Polymer Com- posites for Engineers,
Technomic Publishing Company, Lancaster, PA, 1994