IE 21

Industrial Materials and

Processes
Lecture 26
Composites: Properties, Uses,
Production Processes

Department of Industrial Engineering and

Operations Research, College of Engineering
University of the Philippines Diliman
Rev. 1
Outline
A. Composites
B. Laminar composites
C. Particulate composites
D. Fiber-reinforced composites
1. Organic or resin-matrix composites
2. Metal-matrix composites
3. Carbon–carbon composites
4. Ceramic-matrix composites
Outline …2
E. Resin-matrix composites fabrication
process
A. Composites
 A composite material is a nonuniform
solid consisting of two or more different
materials that are mechanically or
metallurgically bonded together.
 Each of the various components
retains its identity in the composite and
maintains its characteristic structure
and properties.
Composites …2
 There are recognizable interfaces
between the materials.
Composites …3
 There are many types of composite
materials and several methods of
classifying them. One method is
based on geometry and consists of
three distinct families: laminar or
layered composites, particulate
composites, and fiber-reinforced
composites.
B. Laminar Composites
 Laminar composites have distinct
layers of material bonded together in
some manner and include thin
coatings, thicker protective surfaces,
claddings, bimetallics, laminates,
sandwiches, and others.
Laminar Composites …2
 They are used to impart properties
such as reduced cost, enhanced
corrosion resistance or wear
resistance, electrical insulation or
conductivity, unique expansion
characteristics, lighter weight,
improved strength, or altered
appearance.
Laminar Composites …3
 Examples: plywood, laminated or
safety glass, laminated plastics
C. Particulate Composites
 Particulate composites
consist of discrete particles
of one material surrounded
by a matrix of another material.
 Examples: concrete (sand and gravel
particles surrounded by hydrated
cement), asphalt (similar aggregate in
a matrix of bitumin, a thermoplastic).
Particulate Composites …2

concrete asphalt
D. Fiber-Reinforced Composites
 In fiber-reinforced composites,
continuous or discontinuous thin
fibers of one material are embedded
in a matrix of another. The objective is
usually to enhance strength, stiffness,
fatigue resistance, or strength-to-
weight ratio by incorporating strong,
stiff, but possibly brittle, fibers in a
softer, more ductile matrix.
Fiber-Reinforced Composites …2

short fiber continuous fiber

reinforcement reinforcement
Fiber-Reinforced Composites …3
 There are four basic types of fiber-
reinforced composites:
 Organic or resin-matrix composites
 Metal-matrix composites
 Carbon–carbon composites
 Ceramic-matrix composites
D.1. Resin-Matrix Composites
 Organic or resin-matrix composites
frequently use high-strength, high-
modulus fibers of graphite, aramid
(Kevlar), or boron. Properties can be
put in desired locations or orientations
at about one-half the weight of
aluminum (or one-sixth that of steel).
Resin-Matrix Composites …2
 Advantages:
 low cost
 low thermal expansion
 simple fabrication methods
 Disadvantage:
 maximum service temperature of about
315ºC (600ºF) because the polymer
matrix loses strength when heated
Resin-Matrix Composites …3
 Applications: sporting goods, body
armor, military and commercial
aircrafts, rocket components,
helicopter blades, automobile bodies,
helmets
D.1.1. Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composites

 Carbon fiber is currently produced in

relatively limited quantities mostly via
two manufacturing processes:
 Based on pitch (coal tar and petroleum
products)
 Based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN)
Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composites …2

 PAN-based carbon fiber is more

expensive to produce, hence, limiting
its use to high end applications, (used
primarily by aerospace and sporting
equipment industries).
Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composites …3

 Carbon fiber is used in carbon-fiber

reinforced composites, such as:
 wind turbine blades
 composite materials for automobiles and
general transportation
 sports equipment such as tennis
rackets, golf clubs, archery arrows and
bows
Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composites …4
D.1.2. Glass-Fiber Reinforced Composites

 Glass is heated until it is molten, then

it is forced through superfine holes,
creating glass filaments that are very
thin.
 These threads are then
be woven into larger
swatches of material.
Glass-Fiber Reinforced Composites …2

 Different resins may then be added to

fiberglass once it is woven together to
give it added strength.
 Applications: swimming pools and
spas, doors, surfboards, sporting
equipment, boat hulls, exterior
automobile parts
Glass-Fiber Reinforced Composites …3
D.2. Metal-Matrix Composites
 Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) can
be used for operating temperatures
up to 1250ºC (2300ºF), where the
conditions require high strength, high
stiffness, good electrical and/or
thermal conductivity, exceptional wear
resistance, and good ductility and
toughness.
Metal-Matrix Composites …2
 The ductile matrix material can be
aluminum, copper, magnesium,
titanium, nickel, superalloy, or even
intermetallic compound, and the
reinforcing fibers may be graphite,
boron carbide, alumina, or silicon
carbide.
Metal-Matrix Composites …3
 The reinforcing fibers may be either
continuous or discontinuous and
typically comprise between 10 and
60% of the composite by volume.
Metal-Matrix Composites …4
 Advantages:
 compared to the engineering metals,
these composites offer higher stiffness
and strength (especially at elevated
temperatures); a lower coefficient of
thermal expansion; better elevated-
temperature properties; and enhanced
resistance to fatigue, abrasion, and
wear.
Metal-Matrix Composites …5
 Compared to the organic matrix
composites, they offer higher heat
resistance as well as improved electrical
and thermal conductivity.
 They are nonflammable, do not absorb
water or gases, and are corrosion
resistant to fuels and solvents.
Metal-Matrix Composites …6
 Disadvantages:
 expensive
 more difficult to process compared to
polymers
 assemblies may be prone to
degradation through interdiffusion or
galvanic corrosion
Metal-Matrix Composites …7
 Applications: Satellite structures,
helicopter blades, storage battery
plates, bicycles, jet-engine fan blades
and other structures which are
subjected to high temperatures

fan blades disc brake

Cermet
 Cermet = ceramic + metal
 Cermets are materials consisting of
ceramic particles held together by a
metallic binder.
 One method to produce cermets is
through powder metallurgy: mixing
powders, pressing into green
compacts, then sintering.
Cermet …2
 Cermets are used to make cutting
tools. They last longer and produce a
better surface finish than traditional
carbide tools.
D.3. Carbon-Carbon Composites
 Carbon–carbon composites (graphite
fibers in a graphite or carbon matrix)
offer the possibility of a heat-resistant
material that could operate at
temperatures above 2000ºC (3600ºF),
along with a strength that is 20 times
that of conventional graphite, a density
that is 30% lighter (1.38 g/cm3), and a
low coefficient of thermal expansion.
Carbon-Carbon Composites …2
 Advantages:
 gets stronger when heated
 good toughness
 good thermal and electrical conductivity
 resistance to corrosion and abrasion
 Disadvantage:
 over 540ºC (1000ºF), requires some form
of coating to protect it from oxidizing
Carbon-Carbon Composites …3
 Applications: nose cone and leading
edge of the space shuttle, aircraft and
racing car disc brakes, automotive
clutches, aerospace turbines and jet
engine components, rocket nozzles,
and surgical implants
Carbon-Carbon Composites …4
space shuttle nose cone disc brake

rocket nozzle
surgical implants clutch
D.4. Ceramic-Matrix Composites
 Ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs)
offer light weight, high-temperature
strength and stiffness, and good
dimensional and environmental
stability. The matrix provides high
temperature resistance.
Ceramic-Matrix Composites …2
 Glass matrices can operate at
temperatures as high as 1500ºC
(2700ºF). The crystalline ceramics,
usually based on alumina, silicon
carbide, silicon nitride, boron nitride,
titanium diboride, or zirconia, can be
used at even higher temperatures.
Ceramic-Matrix Composites …3
 The fibers add directional strength,
increase fracture toughness, improve
thermal shock resistance, and can be
incorporated in unwoven, woven,
knitted, and braided form. Typical
reinforcements include carbon fiber,
glass fiber, fibers of the various matrix
materials, and ceramic whiskers.
Ceramic-Matrix Composites …4
 Applications:
 Composites with discontinuous fibers
tend to be used primarily for wear
applications, such as cutting tools,
forming dies, and automotive parts such
as valve guides. Other applications
include lightweight armor plate and
radomes.
Ceramic-Matrix Composites …5
 Continuous-fiber ceramic composites
are used for applications involving the
combination of high temperatures and
high stresses. Examples include gas-
turbine components, high-pressure heat
exchangers, and high-temperature
filters.
 Disadvantage:
 high to extremely high cost
Ceramic-Matrix Composites …6
E. RMC Fabrication Process
 Fabrication processes for resin-matrix
composites involve some form of
molding, to shape the resin and
reinforcement. A mold tool is required
to give the unformed resin /fiber
combination its shape prior to and
during cure.
RMC Fabrication Process …2
 The most basic fabrication method for
thermoset composites is hand layup, which
typically consists of laying dry fabric layers,
or “plies,” or prepreg plies, by hand onto a
tool to form a laminate stack. Resin is
applied to the dry plies after layup is
complete (e.g., by means of resin infusion).
In a variation known as wet layup, each ply
is coated with resin and “debulked” or
compacted after it is placed.
RMC Fabrication Process …3
 Several curing methods are available.
The most basic is simply to allow cure
to occur at room temperature. Cure
can be accelerated, however, by
applying heat, typically with an oven,
and pressure, by means of a vacuum.
RMC Fabrication Process …4
 For the vacuum process, a vacuum bag,
with breather assemblies, is placed over
the layup and attached to the tool, then
evacuated using a vacuum pump before
cure. The vacuum bagging process
consolidates the plies of material and
significantly reduces voids due to the off-
gassing that occurs as the matrix
progresses through its chemical curing
stages.
RMC Fabrication Process …5
 Many high-performance thermoset
parts require heat and high
consolidation pressure to cure —
conditions that require the use of an
autoclave, a strong, heated container
used for chemical reactions and other
processes using high pressures and
temperatures.
●● End of Lecture 26
●●● End of Lectures