Advanced Composite Materials

ABSTRACT The reduced availability of natural resources, the increasing costs of production, and the apparent limit to our ability to fabricate high strengthto-weight metallic components necessitated the development of new materials to meet the demands of aerospace technology. Advanced composite materials will be used to replace some of the metals currently used in aircraft construction. The function of a composite is to replace heavy/dense metals with stronger, lighter weight structural components, allowing lightweight aircraft to carry payloads farther distances using less fuel. Metals have almost the same physical and mechanical strengths equal in all directions. Stresses and strains are equally transmitted in all directions. But composites have different physical and mechanical strengths in different directions, and are considered to be anisotropic or quasi-isotropic. This is the critical phenomenon which determines the strength of a composite. In the following pages we are going to know about the need of composites, their classification, comparison of their strength with metals, response to impact loads, various composite material damages, their inspection and their repair criteria, safety precautions while working with composites and their important application in aircraft manufacturing. INTRODUCTION: The reduced availability of natural resources, the increasing costs of production, and the apparent limit to our ability to fabricate high strength-to-weight metallic components necessitated the development of new materials to meet the demands of aerospace technology. These materials are called advanced composite materials and will be used to replace some of the metals currently used in aircraft construction. Advanced composites are materials consisting of a combination of high-strength stiff fibers embedded in a common matrix (binder) material. The much stiffer fibers of boron, graphite, and Kevlar has given composite materials structural properties superior in strength to the metal alloys that they have replaced. Some of advanced composite materials are used in aircraft industry. Composites are attractive structural materials because they provide a high strength-to-weight ratio and offer design flexibility. The function of a composite is to replace heavy/dense metals with stronger, lighter weight structural components, allowing lightweight aircraft to carry payloads farther distances using less fuel. These materials are highly susceptible to impact damage, with the extent of damage being visually difficult to determine. A nondestructive inspection (NDI) is required to analyze the extent of damage and effectiveness of repairs.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPOSITES: Composites are classified by the type of reinforcing elements. These elements may be fibers, particle, Flake or laminar materials. They are further classified by the composition of the reinforcing materials and by the type of matrix materials. The primary factors taken into consideration when designing Composites are the costs, type of application, maintenance requirements and operational environment.

COMPARING PROPERTIES OF METALS AND COMPOSITES: The comparative properties of composites and metals are that metals have almost the same physical and mechanical strengths equal in all directions. Stresses and strains are equally transmitted in all directions. Composites can have different physical and mechanical strengths in different directions, and are considered to be anisotropic or quasi-isotropic. These strengths are determined by the fiber orientation patterns. The patterns are unidirectional, bidirectional or quasi-isotropic. Maximum strength is parallel to the fibers, and loads at right angles to the fibers tend to break only the matrix. Metals and composites respond differently when subjected to loads. The various types of fibrous materials used today are Boron, Graphite and Kevlar.

ADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITES: The advantages of composites over metals are higher specific strengths, flexibility in design, ease of manufacturing, lighter weight materials, ease of repair and excellent fatigue and corrosion resistance.

DISADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITES: The disadvantages are limited repair information, high start-up costs, difficulty of inspection, and expense of materials, limited in-work times, poor impact resistance, sensitivity to chemicals and solvents, environmental attacks, and the low conductivity of the materials.

VARIOUS DAMAGES IN COMPOSITES: The various damages that are generally seen in Composites are negligible damage, nonrepairable damage and repairable damage. 1. Negligible Damage: Negligible damage is damage that can be permitted to exist "as is," or corrected by a single cosmetic refinishing procedure with no restrictions on flight operations. This damage may also include some de-lamination, dis-bonds and voids. 2. Non-repairable Damage: Non-repairable damage exceeds published criteria or limits. Normally, non-repairable damage requires the changing of components. 3. Repairable Damage: Repairable damage is any damage to the skin, bond, or core that cannot be allowed to exist "as is" without placing performance restrictions on the aircraft. All permanent repairs must be structural, restore load-carrying capabilities, meet aerodynamic smoothness requirements, and meet the environmental durability requirements of the aircraft.

DAMAGE INSPECTION METHODS 1. Visual Inspections: Visual inspections are a methodical search for defects, checking for obvious damages. Be suspicious of any nick, dent, or paint chip because there may be underlying damage. Many types of defects, such as impact damage, corrosion, and de-lamination, cannot be detected by visual inspections alone. 2. X-ray Inspections: X-ray inspections use the same basic process as a dentist uses to X-ray teeth. The penetrating power of the radiation is used to reveal the interior of objects and to record it on film. Defects in material essentially change the thickness of the material, thus changing the degree of absorption of radiation. More radiation passes through the thinner area of a part, and shows up as a darkened area on the developed film. 3. Ultrasonic Inspections: Ultrasonic inspections use sound wave frequencies higher than the human hearing level, above 20,000 Hz, to penetrate the part. It measures the time the transmitted sound waves take to pass through the object and return to the receiver. The signals are changed into a display on a cathode-ray tube that provides a means of interpreting defects. Accurate results are dependent on an experienced operator, clean surface, known standards of part construction, and repeatability of indications.

REPAIR CRITERIA Repair criteria differ in the same way those initial design requirements for aircraft. Criteria for a repair can be less demanding if the repair is considered to be temporary. Temporary repairs are performed for such requirements as a onetime flight to a repair facility or one more mission under combat conditions. However, most repairs are intended to be permanent, and, except for special conditions, criteria are applied so that the repair will remain acceptable for the life of the aircraft. One of the major factors that influence the repair quality is the environment where the repairs are to make. Moisture, dirt and dust can seriously affect bonded repairs.

WASTE DISPOSAL: Carbon or graphite fibers cannot be disposed of by incineration. All composite material particles and dust must be packaged, tagged, and buried in an approved landfill. Do not allow fibers to contaminate water supplies. Coolants used in machining composites also contain fibers and particles. When disposing of these particles, allow them to remain still so they will settle to the bottom, drain off the liquid without disturbing the particles, and then bag and dispose of them properly.

DRAWBACKS: The issue of personal health and safety is paramount when working with composite materials. Airborne dust and fibrous particles are the principal source of hazards. These particles are generated by drilling, sanding, routing, or sawing the composite structures. Fine, lightweight fiber particles are easily circulated into the atmosphere, causing skin irritation and inflammation, eye irritation, respiratory system inflammation, pulmonary diseases (black lung), cancer of the lung, and abdominal disorders. Because of the necessity to use solvents while accomplishing bonded repairs, potential health and fire dangers must be given special consideration.

Applications
Aircraft FA/18 Advanced Composite Applications Graphite/Epoxy. Wings, Horizontal and Vertical Stabilizers, and Access Doors. %Usage 40%

AV-8B

Graphite/Epoxy Wings, Horizontal Stabilizers, Over wing fairing, Forward Fuselage, and control surfaces.

40%

SH-60B

Kevlar/Epoxy Gear Box, Transmission Pylon, Drive shaft and Nose cover.

20%

SH-60F

Graphite/Epoxy Rotor Blade Trailing Edge and Scarf joints.

20%

F-14

Boron/Epoxy Horizontal Stabilizers

0.04%

CH-53E

Kevlar/Epoxy Upper and Lower Canopy, and Drive Shaft Cover.

20%

CONCLUSIONS: Due to easy availability of composite material resources, their reduced cost of production and their ability to fabricate high strength to low weight components necessitated the development of composite materials to meet the demands of aerospace technology. This allows lightweight aircraft to carry payloads farther distances using less fuel. They have an average use of not less than 30% in manufacture of modern aircrafts. But a little care should be taken while working with them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: MECHANICS OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS by JONES. METALURGY & MATERIAL SCIENCE by KODIGREE. STRENGTH OF MATERIALS by RAMAMRUTHAM. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_material www.efunda.com/formulae/solid_mechanics/composites/comp_intro.cfm

Submitted by:Debasish Biswal Roll no:-0401101219 Mechanical Engg 7th Semester.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DEPT. OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Seminar on
Mag-Lev Trains Under The Able Guidance of Dr.P.R.Dash

sPresented by:
Manas Ranjan Dash

1 Semester, M.Tech Roll. No. 0707101006

st