Chapter 9

Composite Materials: Structure,

General Properties and Applications

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Boeing 757-200

Figure 9.1 Application of advanced composite materials in Boeing 757-200

commercial aircraft. Source: Courtesy of Boeing Commercial Airplane Company.
Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Methods of Reinforcing Plastics

Figure 9.2 Schematic illustration of methods of reinforcing plastics (matrix) with (a)
particles, (b) short or long fibers or flakes, and (c) continuous fibers. The laminate
structures shown in (d) can be produced from layers of continuous fibers or sandwich
structures using a foam or honeycomb core (see also Fig. 16.50).
Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Characteristics of Composite Materials

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Tensile Strength and Modulus for Fibers in Plastic

Figure 9.3 Specific tensile strength (tensile strength-to-density ratio) and specific
tensile modulus (modulus of elasticity-to-density ratio) for various fibers used in
reinforced plastics. Note the wide range of specific strengths and stiffnesses available.
Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Properties of Reinforcing Fibers

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Cross-sections of Fiber-reinforced Materials

Figure 9.4 (a) Cross-section of a tennis racket, showing graphite and aramid (Kevlar)
reinforcing fibers. Source: Courtesy of J. Dvorak, Mercury Marine Corporation and F. Garret,
Wilson Sporting Goods Co. (b) Cross-section of boron fiber-reinforced composite material

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Effect of Fiber Type on Properties of Fiber-reinforced Nylon

Figure 9.5 The

effect of type of
fiber on various
properties of fiber-
reinforced nylon
(6,6). Source:
Courtesy of NASA.

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Fracture Surfaces of Fiber-reinforced Epoxy Composites

(a) (b)
Figure 9.6 (a) Fracture surface of a glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composite. The fibers
are 10μm (400μin.) in diameter and have random orientation. (b) Fracture surface of a
graphite fiber-reinforced epoxy composite. The fibers, 9 μm to 11μm in diameter, are in
bundles and are all aligned in the same direction. Source: Courtesy of L.J. Broutman
Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Mechanical Properties of Reinforced Plastics

Load fraction of fibers :

Pf Af E f

Pm Am E m

Elastic modulus of composite :

E c  xE f  1 x E m

Figure 9.7 The tensile strength of glass-reinforced

polyester as a function of fiber content and
fiber
direction in the matrix.

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Composite Sailboard Cross-section

Figure 9.8 Cross-section of a composite sailboard, an example of advanced

materials construction. Source: K. Easterline, Tomorrow’s Materials (2nd ed.),
p. 133. Institute of Metals, 1990.
Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Metal-Matrix Composite Parts

Figure 9.10 Examples of metal-matrix composite parts.

Source: Courtesy of Metal Matrix Cast Composites, LLC.

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Metal-Matrix Composite Materials and Applications

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Metal Matrix Automotive Brake Caliper

Figure 9.11 Aluminum-matrix composite

brake caliper using nanocrystallyne
alumina fiber reinforcement. Source:
Courtesy of 3M Corp.

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology, Fifth Edition, by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid.
ISBN 0-13-148965-8. © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.