The bigger picture:

ceramic (CMC) metal (MMC) natural polymer (PMC)

Upper continuous operation temperature

Composite matrix Upper continuous operation temperature 400C 580C 1000C

polymer metal (Al) ceramic

from Hancox & Phillips, ICME-2, 1985

Residual stresses
CMC and MMC are often manufactured at high-temperatures BEWARE: residual stresses resulting from differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC)

subscripts: f, p, w
eg SiCf, SiCp, SiCw o fibre, particle, whisker
o

reinforcement toughens matrix

o

minimal or negative effect on modulus

applications in
radomes o armour o cutting tools o biomedical
o

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC)

four principal groups
o o o

complex glass forming oxides

reinforcement by micro-crystalline phases, e.g. Pyrex SiC, Si3N4, SiMON (esp. SiAlON), Al2O3, ZrO2

engineering ceramics

cement and concrete

(prestressed) reinforced concrete pultrusions instead of rebars fibre-reinforced cements

carbon/carbon composites

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC)

Carbon-carbon composites
o

applications in
aircraft and F1 braking rocket motor nozzle throats and exit cones nosetips/leading edges thermal protection systems

Carbon-carbon composites
carbon fibre preform impregnate with organic liquid then pyrolysis
o

phenolic or furfuryl resins

yield ~55% carbon at 1000C yield ~85% carbon

liquid pitch and high isostatic pressure (70 MPa)

chemical vapour deposition (CVD)

hydrocarbon precursor gas o isothermal, thermal gradient or differential pressure conditions
o

Metal matrix composites (MMC)

three principal (alloy) matrix systems
aluminium o magnesium o titanium
o

mostly particulate reinforcement

o

boron-fibre/aluminium used in aerospace

little advantage to stiffness and strength gains in creep performance, toughness, wear resistance, reduced thermal distortion

Metal matrix composites (MMC)

generally high-temperature processes interdiffusion of matrix/reinforcement produces a (gradient) interphase beware galvanic corrosion
o

C fibres in Al/Mg matrix

opposite ends of electrochemical series

MMC Liquid State processes I

Liquid pressure forming (LPF) including the Cray process
similar to RTM with molten metal fed into an evacuated fibre-filled mould from below by pressure. o gases and volatiles vented from mould top. o high pressures
o

10-15 atm for Saffil preforms 70 atm for 50 v/o carbon fibre

high clamping loads, o massive dies for heat retention o long solidification times.
o

MMC Liquid State processes II

Pressure infiltration casting (PIC), including PCAST process
as LPF, but mould is a cold thin walled vessel located inside and clamped by pressure vessel o low cost tooling.
o

Squeeze casting: high-quality casting

pressurise to 1000-2000 atm during solidification o collapses porosity and o increases thermal contact with unheated die wall resulting in rapid solidification rate. o high capital facility and tooling costs.
o

MMC Liquid State processes III

Casting/semi-slurry technique
o o o o o

two phase process for (continuous) casting limited to short-fibre/particulate reinforcement Phase 1: dispersal of reinforcement in melt Phase 2: shear dilution produces ingots for subsequent reprocessing

MMC Liquid State processes IV

Osprey technique
liquid Al alloy atomised in N2 atmosphere o fed with 5m (silicon carbide) particles o sprayed onto collector surface.
o

MMC Solid State processes I

Low temperature processes with diffusion bonding. Foil techniques Compaction of fibre with foil matrix below the solidus temperature:
foil plating by cold rolling o explosion welding o hot pressing (HP) o hot isostatic pressing (HIP)
o

MMC Solid State processes II

Powder techniques Aluminium alloy matrix materials canned and vacuum-degassed prior to consolidation to minimise surface oxidation and contamination

MMC secondary processing

extrusion, forging, rolling, stamping superplastic forming machining
o

superhard cutting and grinding tools

AJM: CHM: EBM: EDM: LBM: PAM: USM:

abrasive waterjet cutting chemical milling electron beam machining electro-discharge machining laser beam machining plasma arc machining ultrasonic machining

Natural composites
Cellulose
most abundant polysaccharide o notably plant materials
o

Chitin/chitosan
second most abundant polysaccharide o found in:
o

crab and shrimp shells (the main commercial source) various marine organisms, insect cuticle fungi and yeast cells

Proteins
o

silk fibres

Natural composites
wood
o

timber .. plywood .. MDF .. chipboard

reinforcements
bast (plant stem) fibres: flax, hemp, jute o leaf fibres: pineapple or sisal o seed fibres: coir or cotton
o

bio-based resin systems

biomimetics

Nacre (abalone/mother-of-pearl)
CaCO3 aragonite crystals
hexagonal platelets: 10-20 m x 0.5 m thick arranged in a continuous parallel lamina. composed of elastic biopolymers (such as chitin, lustrin and silk-like proteins). brittle platelets and thin elastic biopolymers

layers separated by sheets of organic matrix

makes the material strong and resilient

due to adhesion by the "brickwork arrangement of the platelets which inhibits transverse crack propagation.

Nacre

Micrograph from Tomsia et al http://www.physorg.com/news10408.html Schematic from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_of_pearl

Natural composites
Arthur MacGregor book: Bone, antler, ivory, horn: the technology of skeletal materials since the Roman Period Barnes and Noble, London, 1985.
o

the definitive work on bonework from Roman to medieval times.

Polymer matrix composites (PMC)

Thermosets
o

AFRP, CFRP, GFRP AFRTP, CFRTP, GFRTP

Thermoplastics
o

sailcloths, tarpaulins, tensile structures (eg Frei Otto)

Elastomers
o

cord-reinforced rubber
cotton, rayon, nylon, steel, aramid fibres tyres, hoses, conveyor belts