Plastics Composites in the 21st Century

NAIT 2000 Conference

Dr. Peter Klein klein@bobcat.ent.ohiou.edu
Department of Industrial Technology 704/593-1455
Ohio University
Stocker Center 125
Athens, Ohio 45701-2979
Dr. Phillip Waldrop p_waldrop@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu
School of Technology 912/681-0772
Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box 8047
Statesboro, GA 30460-8047
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Plastics Composites in the 21st Century
NAIT Conference 2000 Phillip S. Waldrop
Introduction
The term composite means different things to different people in different fields. In the industrial setting, it
may be defined as a material made up of two or more different material components - usually a reinforcing
element...and a compatible resin binder...to obtain specific characteristics and properties (Veilleux).
The use of composites continues to increase in many areas including transportation (automotive and
trucking), watercraft, sports and recreation, infrastructure (bridges and pipelines), aerospace, military, and
others. These continue to benefit from the high strength to weight ratios, corrosion resistance, lower tooling
costs (compared to materials such as aluminum and steel), tremendous design freedom, and other superior
properties. The Automotive Composite Alliance recently released its composites use projections, which
indicate a 47 percent increase in the use of thermoset composites over the next five years. The increase
use is due to consumer demands for more customized, durable, and fuel efficient vehicles (Composites in
transportation, 2000).
Reinforcements
Within the plastics industry (which includes polymer matrix composites) the above definition of composites is
accepted as a means of distinguishing between the use of reinforcements and fillers. The Composites
Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) does not consider a material to be a true composite
unless the intent of adding a second material to the matrix is to enhance the performance properties, rather
than to simply add bulk to reduce resin cost, as is the case with fillers. With fillers, the fact that they may to
some extent improve the resulting materials properties is secondary to the cost-reduction intent. In a gray
area, between bulk fillers and the mainstream types of fiber reinforcements, are reinforcing particles and
whiskers.
There are basically three categories of fiber reinforcements: short, long, and very long/continuous. The latter
two are most common. A short fiber is defined as being less than 5mm (0.2 inches). These are typically
used to reinforce thermoplastics resins such as nylon, and using processes such as injection molding and
extrusion. Long fibers (intermediate length) measure from 10 - 100 mm (.4 - 4 inches). These fibers are
most typically used with thermosetting polyester, and typically involve 25%- 35%of the end product by
weight. Common products include boat hulls, spas, single piece tub/shower units, and automotive body
components. Phenolic, vinyl esters and epoxies may also be used when enhanced properties are
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required; these are typically known as engineering composites, to be discussed later. Very
long/continuous fibers provide superior strength properties, are often used in woven, knitted, or braided
forms as well as filaments, and are typically used with high strength resins including epoxy and polyimides.
These very high strength composites are typically used in aerospace, military, high-tech sporting goods,
pressure vessels, etc., and are typically known as advanced composites (Strong, 2000). Other common terms
used in this field of technology include fiber-reinforced plastics, or FRP, and structural composites (Charrier,
1990).
Current examples of short, long, and very long/continuous fibers include the following. Rollerblade in-line
skates have employed 28%glass reinforced nylon to meet the torsional rigidity, stiffness, and strength
requirements (Update: sporting goods, 1999). These short fibers are injection molded with nylon to produce
these high-tech toys. Fords latest entry in the 4X4 market uses long glass fibers at a 50% load with vinyl
ester resin to create the 72-pound pickup box on the Sport Track model (Truck Makers ...). Very
long/continuous fibers are key to the performance of composite bridge decking being installed in place of
concrete to refurbish aging bridges. Many of these decks are pultruded using fiberglass and polyester
resin.
Todays composites industry is dominated by three reinforcing materials: glass fibers, carbon (graphite)
fibers, and aramid fibers (Kevlar). The mainstay continues to be fiberglass because of its properties, cost,
availability and processing ease. While carbon and aramid are considered high performance materials, the
added costs (often more than ten - twenty times that of fiberglass) must be justified by a need for their
superior properties. There are different grades of each fiber material, such as E-, C- and S-2 glass, which
may be specified depending on the technical requirements. It must be noted, too, that other reinforcements
offer promise for improving the properties of some non-critical products. For example, developing industrial
ventures in countries such as India are studying the use of hemp fibers in a variety of commodity products.
As material technology progresses, these definitions continue to be valid, although one must break the
traditional fiberglass mind-set which causes people to think of composites in terms of fiber reinforcements.
For example, a new material being used for body panels on the Panoz GT-RA racecar is considered a
composite even though it does not contain reinforcing materials. It is a thermoforming sheet stock consisting
of bonded layers of two different thermoplastics, which produce a material with properties unobtainable by
either resin system alone (Race car...). Another new and divergent thrust in the field of composites is
reinforcement at the atomic or molecular level, to create what are called nanocomposites, discussed below.
However, the majority of polymer composite products continue to be made from the more traditional fiber
reinforced resins.
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One other material element which must be considered is the use of a core. Whereas many composite
products are made with just matrix resin and reinforcement, sandwich construction involves the bonding of
laminated composites surfaces to an inner core which serves the purpose of creating a thicker, stiffer cross
section without the excessive weight and cost which would result from the use of a solid cross section of
matrix and reinforcement materials alone. Core materials range from styrene foam to honeycomb panels
made of paper or metal. Improved acoustic and thermal insulation, and better impact damage tolerance, are
among the benefits of sandwich core construction.
Advanced Composite Materials
In general, advanced composites, as compared to engineering composites, are those with at least 50%of their
volume consisting of reinforcement, and typically using engineering resins such as epoxy (rather than
commodity resins such as polyester). Advanced composites usually include very long/continuous fibers to
maximize the reinforcements properties. Often, premium fibers such as graphite or boron are involved to
provide a high modulus of elasticity (stiffness). Advanced composites are specified for critical structure which
must have exceptional ability to, for example, absorb impact or show minimal affects from heat or applied
loads. Early applications were in aircraft, but more recent applications include automotive, electronics,
sporting goods, medical devices, and civil engineering structure (Strong, 1989).
Research and development in materials continues to be broad in focus, but there are a few key areas which
receive particular attention. These include development of matrix polymers which can withstand high
temperatures. Composites made of such matrices would allow their substitution for metals such as stainless
steel and titanium such as in supersonic aircraft structure and/or substructure around the engines and
exhaust, improving performance by reducing weight. While epoxies provide high strength, more advanced
resin systems may withstand continued exposure to higher temperature environments. Polyimides are high
temperature engineering polymers, originally developed by the DuPont Company, which - compared to
most other organic or polymeric materials - exhibit an exceptional combination of thermal stability (>500C or
>900F), mechanical toughness and chemical resistance (Polyimide properties...). There are a number of
polyimide and related resins, including polybenzimidazole (PBI) and bismaleimide (BMI); some process
like thermoplastics while others, being crosslinkable, are considered thermosets. Many of these are
produced and sold as prepreg materials, with the fibers pre-impregnated with the matrix resin, which
provides easier handling and reduced preparation for the end-product manufacturer.
Two other material R&D focuses involve the bond strength between the matrix and the reinforcement, and
the effects of moisture on the composite product. Numerous related papers are presented each year at
major technical conferences of major organizations such as SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers) and
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SAMPE (Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering). In one such example, the SPE
paper Effect of hot-wet environments on E-glass/vinylester composites, seeks to describe the failure
mechanism involved from degradation of exposed composites. Such research is critical, as the engineering
community must establish confidence in new material technologies before they are committed to use. There
is great promise for lightweight corrosion-resistant composites to replace steel and concrete in bridge
construction. Potential benefits include reduced maintenance and, particularly, reduced construction costs
and time, as comparatively rigid and light-weight bridge subassemblies may be produced offsite and easily
transported for final installation. However, it must be determined that such applications remain viable for 75
or more years while exposed to temperature, moisture, and spills of oil and gasoline (Sridharan, Zureick,
and Muzzy, 1998).
Another important recent material development involves the use of thermoplastics, in contrast to the past
nearly exclusive use of thermoset resins for the matrix. Polypropylene (PP) is one important commodity
thermoplastic being developed as a reinforced composite, which is in contrast not only to the past focus on
thermosets but also on engineering versus commodity resins. The key issue of bond strength between
matrix and reinforcement is illustrated in a number of studies of PP/glass composites. Williams, Schadler
and Lustiger (1998) describe the fact that with two different glass reinforcements examined, the sizing
(coating) used on the fibers is a critical factor. One is compatible with the PP matrix and the other is not. The
results show that the fibers are unable to transmit the load through the material successfully, as they debond
and pull out of the matrix.
Yet another research focus is on a rapidly developing and current hot topic within the field of organic
composites: nanocomposites, a part of what is termed nanotechnology. The goal of nanotechnology is to
build things the way nature has been doing it for millions of years: atom by atom, molecule by molecule, with
a bottom up approach. Nano is a prefix used in the science world to mean a billionth of, and
nanotechnology deals in billionths of meters, the dimensions at which atoms mingle and molecules interact.
Leading scientists who met last year at the National Science Foundation said nanotechnology will have a
major impact on the health, wealth and security of the world's people and will be at least as significant as
antibiotics, the integrated circuit and man-made polymers were in the 20th century (Westphal). One
application being studied involves the use of Polymer Liquid Crystals (PLCs) to reinforce thermoplastic
polyimides (TPIs), as the electronics industry desires the re-workability of TPIs compared to their thermoset
variants (Brostow, DSouza, Gopalanarayanan).
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General and Advanced Composites Processes
Key concerns of manufacturing industry are competitive costs, repeatable quality, and short lead time for
production of new items. These concerns are no different for composites than for metal fabricators, although
the technical process elements are much different.
Fiber placement, getting the right volume of reinforcement in the right places, with the necessary orientation, is
a key challenge, and has led to development of a number of automated machine types. Rotational designs,
such as missile casings or sport aircraft fuselages, are usually filament wound. Flatter or non-cylindrical
components such as the skin panels of the B-2 aircraft are created by laminating layers of tape from rolls of
prepreg, with large robotic tape laying machines. Layers of woven prepreg cloth may be added by hand;
these are typically cut with CNC ply cutter machines adopted from the textile industry. Such skins may be
further built up by hand layup of detail areas, and by adding laminated stiffening ribs which are then co-cured
with the skin by vacuum bagging and curing in an autoclave, a type of oven which may be pressurized to
ensure good consolidation of the plies. An important consideration in production processing is that the
fibers not be fractured such that length is reduced below what the design engineers specify for the products
required properties.
Continuing into the new millenium is the practical need to reduce the costs of the advanced materials and
processes so that the materials benefits may be applied to less exotic commercial products such as
automobiles and appliances. On the high-tech aerospace end again, companies also seek to develop the
means to reduce the cost of advanced technology products such as cruise missiles by utilizing automotive
or other mid- to high-volume commodity production methods with advanced composite materials. For such
goals, key processes of interest appear to include pultrusion, resin transfer molding (RTM), and compression
molding of reinforced sheet molding compounds (Broyles, etal.). Pultrusion involves the pulling of
continuous fibers through a bath of liquid resin, then on through a set of heated dies which serve to cure the
matrix resin while creating the desired cross-section shape.
Resin transfer molding involves placement of woven fiber reinforcement into a mold, closing it, and then
pumping (transferring) liquid epoxy or other thermoset resin into the mold. This is sometimes done with a
vacuum to assist the flow, in which case it is called VARTM. According to the Director of Research and
Technology, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control - Orlando, these techniques are being actively
pursued in aerospace, especially for small missile fins and similar small-part applications. RTM productivity
is being enhanced by use of preforms, thus reducing the need for operators to cut and shape the
reinforcements. Larger structure may involve RTM parts secondarily bonded onto sections made by other
processes such as hand layup or robotic tape laying (Kramer, L., personal communication, June 12, 2000).
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A related plastics process, Reaction Injection Molding (RIM), has been adapted by the automotive industry
to produce composites by adding continuous- or chopped-strand mat preforms into molds before injection.
This adaptation is referred to as SRIM or Structural RIM (FRP materials, 2000).
Compression molding is being applied to a variety of new-generation commodity and advanced
composites, ranging from glass-reinforced Polypropylene - which may be stamped and formed much like
sheet metal for parts such as lawnmower decks and automobile fender liners - to graphite-reinforced epoxy
missile bodies, which may be compressed against the inner surface of a cylindrical mold by use of an inner
tool of silicon elastomer, which expands when heated in an autoclave. Other related examples include
automobile engine valve covers and oil pans which, by replacing traditional metals, offer the potential of
improved sound insulation in addition to lighter weight (Charrier, 1990).
Conclusion
The composites field is arguably the most dynamic in terms of industrial materials and processes.
Opportunities and innovations in products ranging from medical implants to highway bridges and spacecraft
are driving new developments in composites. New machinery is being developed to permit injection
molding without damage to longer fibers, and to automate large product layup so as to reduce labor costs;
specialty resins continue to provide opportunities to replace metals with lighter-weight structure; job shops
are springing up to produce specialty composite molding materials to customer order.
In addition, it is important to recognize that while polymer matrix composites are the mainstream in terms of
volume (90% of the composites industry) and diversity of applications, industry also produces products
which involve ceramic matrix composites and metal matrix composites. Examples of both may be seen in the
space shuttle. The high-heat resistant nose cap and wing leading edges are a carbon composite which
begins as a phenolic resin polymer matrix reinforced with graphite fibers (pyrolization converts the matrix to
a ceramic). The rigid, lightweight struts supporting the Shuttles cargo bay deck are cylinders made of
aluminum foil with boron filament reinforcement. The automotive industry is beginning to apply both ceramic
and metal matrix composite materials to meet specialty needs. For example, carbon/carbon ceramic brake
pads, used for some time on aircraft systems, are being used on high performance cars, and Toyota has
been using fiber-reinforced aluminum pistons in its diesel engines.
The overall field of composites continues to expand as applications move from specialized high-tech
products into general consumer products and the infrastructure of daily living. Awareness of these material
technologies and the related industries and career opportunities is important for those involved in
contemporary industrial technology, whether construction, manufacturing, transportation or electronics.
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References
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