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Module #27
Module #27
Composite Materials
(an overview)
READING LIST
►DIETER: Ch. 6, Pages 220-226.
– Matrix:
• phase that holds reinforcement together
• protects the reinforcement
• transmits load to the reinforcement.
– Reinforcement:
• filaments, fibers, whiskers, etc., which have intrinsically high strength and modulus;
reinforcements are often too brittle to use in monolithic forms. Sometimes “soft” reinforcements
are used too.
Introduction (3)
• Interface between reinforcement and matrix is often the most
critical element in determining materials properties and
performance.
• Etc.
• Stress concentration
• Etc.
Classification of Composites (1)
• On basis of matrix:
• Purpose of reinforcement
(a) (b)
MMC MMC
Fiber Particle
reinforced reinforced
(eutectic)
(c) (d)
Figure 15.1 (a) Transverse section of a boron fiber reinforced aluminum composite. Vf = 10%. (b) Transverse section of a
carbon fiber reinforced polyester resin. Vf = 50% (Optical). (c) Deeply etched transverse section of a eutectic composite
showing NbC fibers in a Ni-Cr matrix. (d) SiC particles in an Al alloy matrix (SEM). Vf = 17%.
What can composites look like?
(a) MMC (b)
graphite graphite
-ferrite
-ferrite
WHITE MALLEABLE
graphite
Fe3C
pearlite
-ferrite
• Reinforcement:
– Concentration
– Shape
– Size
– Distribution
– Orientation
– Matrix/reinforcement interface
y
Let be the strong
x phase
L L
• Consider the case where a force is applied along the y-direction. In this
instance, the stresses on the and lamellae are equal (i.e., = F/L2).
• The composite strain is the weighted average of the individual strains in
each lamellae.
c V V
• The composite modulus is given by:
E E
Ec
V E V E
Does strength change as we alter volume
fraction of reinforcing phase?
0 V 1
The force ratio is
independent of V.
• Point 2: 100
– V = 0.1; V = 0.9
80
Answer: YES!
Basic mechanics (2) N(L + L)
L
V
( L L )
L
L
V
Force
( L L )
z
L
y
Once again, let be
x the strong phase
L L
• Consider the case where a force is applied along the z-direction. In this
instance, the stresses on the and lamellae are different.
• The strains on the and lamellae are equal.
c
• The composite modulus is given by:
Ec V E V E
Does modulus change as we alter volume
fraction of reinforcing phase?
• Point 1: • Point 3:
– V = 0.5; V = 0.5 – V = 0.9; V = 0.1
– E = 100 GPa; E = 10 GPa – E = 100 GPa; E = 10 GPa
Ec (0.5 100 GPa + 0.5 10 GPa) Ec (0.9 100 GPa + 0.1 10 GPa)
55 GPa 91 GPa
• Point 2: 100
– V = 0.1; V = 0.9
80 Equal strain
19 GPa 20
0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Volume Fraction of -phase
Answer: YES!
100
40
Equal stress
condition
20
E E
Ec
V E V E
0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Volume Fraction of -phase
This is a composite plot of the elastic modulus for the composite that we used
in the example. The blue curve shows the upper bound for modulus and the
red curve shows the lower bound as calculated using the rule of mixtures. The
moduli of particle-reinforced materials generally lies between the values
predicted for laminate composites, but near the lower bound. In fact, for
particle reinforced composites:
Ec Vm Em K cV p E p and c Vm m K sV p p ,
where K c and K s are empirical constants with values of less than 1
(K c K s )
Basic mechanics (3)
Force
N(L + L)
z
L
y
Once again, let be
x the strong phase
L L
10
More effective use of
• What this plot shows is that
Equal-strain arrangement
stiffness of the α phase
the equal-strain condition for
8 reinforcement (i.e., strong
phase aligned parallel to
β =1
0
β =5
β =2
6
α
E /E
Fα/Fβ
=1
Increasing
for reinforcement.
α
E /E
reinforcement
β
E /E
α
strength/stiffness
α
4
• Under these conditions, the
2 strengthening phase (i.e., the
Fα/Fβ = 1
Equal-stress arrangement
reinforcement) is much more
0 effective at carrying load.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Vα
• However, there must be a
certain volume fraction of the
[after Courtney, p. 251]
reinforcing phase present.
Reinforcement with continuous fibers (1)
[Courtney]
Reinforcement with continuous fibers (2)
fibers
matrix
c V f f Vm m
III
“Stress-strain
c II behavior is a
composite
too”
f
c
III
c II
f
c
• Stage I
– Both fiber and matrix deform elastically.
c c Ec c V f E f Vm Em
• Stage II
– Generally, the matrix will begin to deform plastically at a strain that
is less than the elastic limit of the fiber.
c V f c E f Vc m f
stress carried
by matrix at
strain c
Fiber
III fracture
c II
UTS of matrix
I
Matrix fracture
f
c
• Stage III
– This stage only occurs if the fibers deform plastically prior to
fracture
c V f f c Vm m c
Stress
c V f f Vm m ( f )
f
m
Vmin
c Vm m (1 V f ) m
Vc
0 1
Fiber volume fraction, Vf
• Vc = critical volume fraction of fibers
m m ( f )
Vc
f m m ( f )
• Vmin = minimum fiber volume fraction required to increase strength of matrix
m ( f )
Vmin m Typical values for Vc and Vmin
f m ( f ) range from 0.02 to 0.10
Discontinuous fibers
• The equal strain volume fraction rule does not apply to composites
containing discontinuous fibers.
fd
Lc
m
• Fibers that are shorter than the critical length have less strengthening per
unit volume than continuous fibers.
• WHY?
(a) (b) Fiber
midpoint
F m
Matrix Fiber
midpoint
f
Fiber
dx dx
(c) (d)
Figure 6.9 (a) A schematic of a matrix containing discontinuous fibers. (b) The geometry of one fiber
is shown in the cross-hatched region. At the fiber end, tensile load can’t be instantaneously transferred
to the fiber from the matrix. (c) The tensile load-transfer process is accomplished by development of a
shear stress at the fiber-matrix interface owing to the relative displacement of the fiber and matrix
along this interface. The displacement is proportional to the arrows shown, and is zero at the fiber
midpoint and a maximum at the fiber end. (d) A small increment of length dx of a fiber; the
incremental fiber tensile stress (dσf) is obtained by a force balance; i.e., (πdf2/4) df = m(πdf2dx),
where m is the interfacial shear stress.
[after Courtney, p. 258]
[after Courtney, p. 259]
matrix
fiber
F
Fcos
[Courtney] fibers
Shear
Fiber Normal
yielding
failure yielding
of matrix
of matrix
[Courtney]
• Other ply arrangements are possible and are used to improve in-
plane loading.