International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Materials Engineering (ICMPME'2012) June 16-17, 2012, Bangkok

Thermal Expansion Coefficient for LeadGraphite and Lead-Iron Metal Matrix

Composites
Jagannath K1, S.S.Sharma2, Chandrashekar Bhat3, Raghavendra Prabhu4
Abstract--One of the significant features of a composite material
is tailorability of its material properties. Coefficient of thermal
expansion (CTE) of a composite material is known to play a key role
in its application area. It has been realized that a state of micro stress
often exists between the phase of the matrix and reinforcement.
Difference in thermal expansion of the individual phases produces
stress which indirectly affects the strength properties and modes of
failure. In the present study, coefficient of thermal expansion is
measured using metroscope, with a least count of 0.2 microns.
Nichrome wire embedded specimens are used for the experiment.
The main findings from the experiment is that the coefficient of
thermal expansion for both lead-graphite and lead-iron composites
increase with the increase in temperature. The rate of coefficient of
thermal expansion decreases with increase in weight percentage of
graphite or iron.

composite.The differences between these two models are

related to the different properties in this third phase. Siderids
et al. [5] derived a three phase model of the generalized selfconsistent model, which is an improved version of Kerner
model [6]. The models described above assume that the
interfaces are perfect mathematical surfaces and that the
adhesion between matrices is also perfect. However, in reality
a complex interaction develops around an inclusion. Areas of
imperfect bonding, permanent stresses due to shrinkage of the
composite phase during the curing period, high stress
gradients, stress singularities due to the rough surfaces of the
inclusion, voids microcracks, etc. mean that the perfect
conditions assumed dont represent the reality.
The
interaction of the matrix with the surface of the reinforcement
inclusion during curing, restricts the free segmental and
molecular mobility of the matrix and thus creates a
constrained layer with different mechanical and physical
properties of the composite.
The thermal expansion
coefficient of a particle reinforced composite material for
lead- graphite and lead-iron composites studied and presented
in this paper.

Keywords--Metal matrix composite, Coefficient of thermal

expansion, Residual stress, Metroscope.
I. INTRODUCTION

ANY theoretical analyses, which define the thermal

properties of composites and provide equations for
predicting the thermal expansion coefficient, have been
reported in the literature [1,2]. Some of the derived equations
have been verified experimentally for some practical systems
but for other systems poor agreement was found between the
theory and the experimental results. The influence of thermal
expansion behaviour of MMC was demonstrated
experimentally [2] that thermal expansion coefficient did not
obey the law of mixture. Hasin in 1962 [3] assumed that a
composite is a collection of small volume elements of various
sizes and shapes, which densely filled in the bulk composites.
The paper considered the particulates as conglomerations of
spherical inclusions and shells, with the properties of the
matrix, surrounding the inclusions. In each volume element,
the volume fraction of the inclusion was equal to the total
content of the dispersed phase in the composite. Vander Poel
[4] considered a representative volume element (RVE)
consisting of the filler and the shell of matrix surrounded by a
third substance with properties such that the average state of
stress and strain was closer to the real situation in the

II METHODOLOGY
Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is measured using
metroscope, which has a least count of 0.2 microns. Fig.1
illustrates the metroscope used for the experiment. Nichrome
wire embedded specimens are used for the experiment. Initial
reading is measured and the current is passed through the
conductor and temperature of the wire and outside
temperature of the specimen are measured. Final expansion
reading is taken using metroscope and difference in expansion
L is computed. Thermal expansion is computed using the
equation =L/LT where L is the original length of the
sample and L is the change in length over a temperature
interval T.

Dr Jagannath1, Dr S.S.Sharma2 and Dr Chandrashekar Bhat3 are working

with MIT Manipal, India as Professors in the department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engg. (e-mail: jagan.korody@manipal.edu)
Mr Raghavendra Prabhu4 is working with MIT as Assistant Professor,
Senior scale in the department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engg

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International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Materials Engineering (ICMPME'2012) June 16-17, 2012, Bangkok

The coefficient of thermal expansion of a metal matrix

composite is not easy to predict precisely because it is
influenced by several factors such as matrix plasticity, size
and shape of the reinforcement, type of reinforcement,
distribution of the reinforcement voids in the metal matrix
composite etc.
The theoretical analysis for the determination of the thermal
expansion coefficient is based on the following assumptions:
(i) The particles and the matrix are elastic, isotropic and
homogeneous.
(ii) The particles are perfectly spherical in shape.
(iii)The particles are large in number, and their distribution
is uniform so that the composite may be regarded as a
quasi-homogeneous isotropic material.
(iv)The deformations applied to the composite are
small enough to
maintain linearity of stressstrain
relationships.

Fig.1 Universal Horizontal Metroscope

1. Setscrew
2. Hand wheel
3. Foot screw
4. Holder plate
5. Spiral microscope
6. Measuring element
7. Measuring sleeve
8. Measuring bolt

9. Adjustable object table

10. Measuring bolt
11. Tube sleeve
12. Setting knob
13. Sleeve slide
14. Clamp screw
15. Clamp handle

The expression for the thermal expansion coefficient can be

obtained by applying the classical theory of elasticity to the
representative volume element (RVE) whose mechanical
properties equal to the average properties of the composite.
Several models have been proposed for the prediction of
coefficient of thermal expansion of metal matrix composites
[2]. Among them, the seven simplest and the most commonly
used models are discussed in this paper. Tables I and II
illustrate the calculated value of CTE from different
theoretical models given in the literature [2] for the leadgraphite and lead-iron composites. The results clearly show
the reduction in coefficient of thermal expansion as the weight
percentage of reinforcement increases.

Specimens are prepared for measurement of thermal

expansion from the cast ingot using a micro-cut machine.
Sample specimens were polished using polishing machine
with 1 micron size diamond paste. Four samples of each
composite were tested under the same condition to verify the
reproducibility. The coefficients of thermal expansion were
measured in the temperature range 35 to 85 0C.

TABLE I. CTE FOR LEAD-GRAPHITE COMPOSITES FROM DIFFERENT THEORETICAL MODELS

Sl.
no

Models

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

Mixture law

28.959

28.819

28.077

27.736

27.395

Turner equation

28.591

28.108

27.649

27.387

26.797

Kerner equation

28.971

28.843

28.214

27.584

27.155

Blackburn equation

28.896

28.694

28.494

28.196

27.81

Wang and Kwei equation

29.097

29.094

29.075

28.759

28.430

Tummala equation

28.964

28.828

28.692

28.556

28.42

Fahmi equation

29.053

28.806

28.359

28.013

27.766

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International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Materials Engineering (ICMPME'2012) June 16-17, 2012, Bangkok
TABLE II CTE FOR LEAD-IRON COMPOSITES FROM DIFFERENT THEORETICAL MODELS

Sl.
no
1

Models

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

10%

15%

Mixture law

28.86 3

28.626

28.389

28.152

27.915

25.66

22.98

Turner equation

28.548

28.012

27.489

26.980

26.484

24.21

21.36

Kerner equation

28.851

28.603

28.356

28.108

27.861

26.15

24.67

Blackburn equation

28.957

28.813

28.669

28.523

28.376

27.18

25.34

Wang and Kwei equation

29.098

29.093

29.084

29.071

29.055

27.53

26.88

Tummala equation

28.946

28.793

28.640

28.487

28.334

27.24

25.46

Fahmi equation

29.008

28.916

28.822

28.727

28.631

27.54

24.97

super cooling is important for tribological applications of the

composites. Higher the degree of superheating may lead to
severe internal stresses in the composite which may lead to
cracking.

III RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Tables III and IV give the coefficient of thermal expansion
obtained experimentally for graphite or iron reinforced lead
metal matrix composites. Same experimental data is presented
graphically in Figs.2 and 3. In both the composites, the
coefficient of thermal expansion decreases as the weight
percentage of particulates increases. Almost similar
coefficient of thermal expansion values are observed in the
composite, which indicate that higher particle density
decreases the thermal expansion.

Coeff. of thermal expansion, x10-6

30.0

For the matrix containing particulates as several phases,

upon cooling from processing temperature, residual stress
would have developed due to the difference in thermal
expansion and elastic properties of the matrix and particulates.
Thermal expansion of lead is greater than graphite where as
thermal expansion of iron is greater than graphite. A
quantitative analysis of residual stress resulting from the
thermal mismatch in particulate composites was determined
from the Turner model [2] which is expressed as:
d=
m ( m f V f E f Em T (Vm Em + V f E f ) -----(1)

29.5
29.0
28.5
28.0
27.5
27.0
26.5
26.0
0

Percentage of graphite

Fig.2 CTE for Lead-Graphite Composites

30

Coeff. of thermal expansion, x10-6

where m is the axial stress in the matrix material, the

subscripts m and f refer to matrix and particulates
respectively, E is the Youngs modulus, V is the volume
fraction, T is the degree of super cooling and is the
coefficient of thermal expansion. The expression (1) is used
to evaluate the thermal stresses in the matrix with a change in
temperature which is shown in Figs. 4 to 7. Figs 4 and 5 show
the internal stress developed during super cooling from the
molten state to room temperature for lead-graphite and leadiron composites. It is observed that stresses are linearly
decreasing as the degree of super cooling decreases. However,
the values of internal stresses for lead-iron composites are
more than the lead-graphite composites, since iron has more
thermal expansion than lead. Figs. 6 and 7 show the increase
in internal stresses of the composites as the degree of
superheating increases from 30 to 800C. The stress due to

28

26

24

22

10

12

Percentage of iron

Fig.3 CTE for Lead-Iron Composites

22

14

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International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Materials Engineering (ICMPME'2012) June 16-17, 2012, Bangkok

15000
14000
Graphite-1%
Graphite-2%
Graphite-3%
Graphite-4%
Graphite-5%

50000

Residual Stress (N/mm2)

Residual stress (N/mm2)

60000

40000
30000
20000

Graphite-1%
Graphite-2%
Graphite-3%
Graphite-4%
Graphite-5%

13000
12000
11000
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000

10000

1000
30

0
350

300

250

200

150

100

40

50

60

70

80

Degree of superheating ( C)

50

Degree of supercooling ( C)

Fig.6 Variations of Internal Stresses on the Lead-Graphite

composites with degree of superheating

Fig.4 Variations of Internal Stresses on the Lead-Graphite

composites with degree of supercooling

1600000

350000

1200000
1000000

Iron-1%
Iron-3%
Iron-5%
Iron-10%
Iron-15%

300000

Iron-1%
Iron-3%
Iron-5%
Iron-10%
Iron-15%

Residual stresses (N/mm2)

Residual stress (N/mm2)

1400000

800000
600000
400000

250000
200000
150000
100000
50000

200000

0
30

40

50

60

70

80

Degree of superheating ( C)
350

300

250

200

150

100

50

Degree of supercooling( C)

Fig.7 Variations of Internal Stresses on the Lead-Iron composites

with degree of superheating

Fig.5 Variations of Internal Stresses on the Lead-Iron composites

with degree of supercooling

TABLE III CTE FOR LEAD-GRAPHITE COMPOSITES

Wt.% of

Initial reading

Final reading

Difference

Initial

Graphite added

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

73.3966

73.4689

0.0723

35

70

35

28.1445

73.4700

73.5613

0.0913

35

80

45

27.6152

temp.

Final
temp.

Change

CTE

in

X 10-6

temp.

73.9364

74.0269

0.0905

35

80

45

27.2075

73.9104

73.9898

0.0794

35

75

40

26.8568

73.4580

73.5259

0.0679

35

70

35

26.4096

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International Conference on Mechanical, Production and Materials Engineering (ICMPME'2012) June 16-17, 2012, Bangkok

TABLE IV CTE FOR LEAD-IRON COMPOSITES

Wt. % of
iron

Initial reading

Final reading

(mm)

(mm)

Difference

Initial temp.

Final temp.

(mm)

Change

CTE

in

X 10-6

temp.

added
1

72.8634

72.9580

0.0946

35

80

45

28.8515

72.9754

73.0565

0.0811

35

75

40

27.7833

74.1082

74.2005

0.0923

35

80

45

27.6772

73.5352

73.6346

0.0994

35

85

50

27.0346

74.3040

74.3831

0.0791

35

75

40

26.6136

IV CONCLUSIONS
The thermal expansion coefficient of metal matrix
composites reinforced with graphite and iron particulates in
lead is in the elastic region for the temperature range from 0
to 80 0 C.
The coefficient of thermal expansion for both lead-graphite
and lead-iron composites increase with increase in
temperature.
The rate of coefficient of thermal expansion decreases with
increase in weight percentage of graphite or iron.
REFERENCES
[1] Smagorinski M.E. and P.G. Tasant Rizor, Development of light composite
material with low coefficient of thermal expansion, Journal of Material
Science and Technology, Vol. 16, 2000, pp 883-862.
[2] Sharma S.C., Effect of ablate particles on the coefficient of thermal
expansion behaviour of the Al 6061 alloy composites, Journal of
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A,Vol.31, 2000, pp. 773-779.
[3] Hasin Z., Thermal expansion in metal matrix composites, Journal of
Applied Mechanics, Vol.29. 1962, pp. 143-148.
[4] Vander Poel , Modern materials, Journal of Rheokacta, Vol.1, 1958, pp.
198-206.
[5] Siderids E., V.N. Kytoaulas and E. Kyrazi, Determination of thermal
expansion coefficient of particulate composites by the use of triphase model, Journal of Composites Science and Technology, Vol.2,
2000, pp.1-11
[6] Kerner E.H., The elastic and thermoelastic properties of composite media,
Proceedings of Physics Society, 1956, 69B, pp.808.

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