COMPOSITE MATERIALS

BY
SRINATH R
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICAL ENGG
INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSITES
COMPOSITES GOT A WHOLE LOTTA HISTORYYY!!

IN 1200 AD, THE MONGOLS

INVENTED THE FIRST “COMPOSITE
BOW”
IT WAS A COMBINATION OF WOOD,
BONE AND ANIMAL GLUE, PRESSED
AND WRAPPED WITH BIRCH BARK
 IN THE 1970S DuPONT DEVELOPED AN ARAMID FIBER KNOWN AS KEVLAR WHICH
BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF BODY ARMOR DUE TO ITS HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH,
HIGH DENSITY AND LIGHTWEIGHT.
• A COMBINATION OF 2 OR MORE MATERIALS OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION ON A MACROSCALE.
• THE CONSTITUENTS RETAIN THEIR IDENTITIES (THEY DO NOT MERGE COMPLETELY INTO EACH OTHER)
• THEY CAN BE PHYSICALLY IDENTIFIED AND EXHIBIT AN INTERFACE BETWEEN EACH OTHER

Has a continuous Has a discontinuous

character. Usually character. It is in the
ductile and less hard MATRIX REINFORCEMENT dispersed phase and COMPOSITE
phase. It holds the are stronger than the
dispersed phase matrix materials

IT IS IN THE MATRIX PHASE IT IS IN THE REINFORCING PHASE

(METAL, CERAMIC OR POLYMER) (FIBERS, SHEETS OR PARTICLES)
}
EMBEDDED INTO EACH OTHER
 A COMBINATION OF TWO OR MATERIALS TO FORM A NEW
MATERIAL SYSTEM WITH ENHANCED MATERIAL PROPERTIES

MAN-MADE MATERIALS, COMBINATION

OF ATLEAST TWO DISTINCT MATERIALS, WITH AN INTERFACE
SEPARATING THE COMPONENTS, CREATED TO OBTAIN
PROPERTIES THAT CANNOT BE ACHIEVED ALONE BY ANY ONE
OF THE COMPONENTS
 COMPOSITES

BASED ON
BASED ON MATRIX
REINFORCEMENT
MATERIAL
MATERIAL
 COMPOSITES

BASED ON
BASED ON MATRIX
REINFORCEMENT
MATERIAL
MATERIAL

• Metal Matrix Composites (MMC)

• Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC)
• Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC)
Desired Properties of a Matrix
• Reduced moisture absorption.
• Low shrinkage
• Low coefficient of thermal expansion
• Good flow characteristics so that it penetrates the fibre bundles
completely and eliminates voids during the compacting/ curing
process
• Must be elastic to transfer load to fibres
• Reasonable strength, modulus and elongation(elongation should
be greater than fibre)
• Strength at elevated temperature (depending on application)
• Low temperature capability (depending on application)
• Excellent chemical resistance (depending on application)
• Should be easily processable into the final composite shape
• Dimensional stability (maintains its shape)
Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are composite materials that contain at least two constituent parts – a
metal and another material or a different metal.
The metal matrix is reinforced with the other material to improve strength and wear. It is called a hybrid
composite.
Usually the matrix is usually composed of a lighter metal such as magnesium, titanium, or aluminum.

• MMCs are fire resistant & operate in a wide range of temperatures, do not absorb moisture.
• They possess better electrical and thermal conductivity.
• They are resistant to radiation damage.
• Most metals and alloys make good matrices for composite applications.

USED IN VARIOUS COMPONENTS

OF THE ENGINE SUCH AS
DISC BRAKES, CYLINDER HEADS,
ROTATING SHAFTS, PISTON ROD, DRIVE
SHAFT, CRANK SHAFT
Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) consist of ceramic fibers embedded in a ceramic matrix, thus forming a
ceramic fiber reinforced ceramic (CFRC) material.
The matrix and fibers can consist of any ceramic material. In addition to carbon or carbon fiber, silicon
carbide (SiC), silicon platelets, tungsten particles, chromium particles, alumina fibers, glass ceramics
etc.
CMC materials were designed to overcome the major disadvantages such as low fracture toughness,
brittleness, and limited thermal shock resistance, faced by the traditional technical ceramics.
Used in jet and automobile engines, blades of a turbine fan, cutting tools, disc calipers of brakes etc.
PMC's consist of a polymer matrix combined with a fibrous reinforcing dispersed phase.
Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) can be divided into three sub-types, namely, thermoset,
thermoplastic, and rubber.
Polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units connected by covalent chemical
bonds.
They are cheaper with easier fabrication methods. PMC's are less dense than metals or ceramics, can
resist atmospheric and other forms of corrosion, and exhibit superior resistance to the conduction of
electrical current.
More popular compared to the other two types of Matrix Composites

IN ROOFING ELEMENTS, PIPES, TANKS

IN BONNETS, BUMPERS, FLOOR PANELS
BULLETPROOF JACKETS - KEVLAR
 COMPOSITES

BASED ON
BASED ON MATRIX
REINFORCEMENT
MATERIAL
MATERIAL

• Particulate Composites
• Fibrous Composites
• Laminate Composites
 Particulate Composites

• PARTICLES USUALLY REINFORCE A COMPOSITE EQUALLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS (PLASTICS, CEMENTS AND METALS
ARE EXAMPLES FOR PARTICLES)
• PARTICLES ARE USED TO STRENGTHEN THE MATRIX. THEY ARE SPREAD RANDOMLY THROUGHOUT THE MATRIX
AND REINFORCE IN ALL DIRECTIONS EQUALLY
 Fibrous Composites
IN FIBROUS COMPOSITES, THE FIBRES REINFORCE ALONG THE LINE OF THEIR LENGTH.
THEY MAY BE MAINLY 1-D, 2-D, 3-D

1-D GIVES MAXIMUM STRENGTH IN ONE DIRECTION

2-D GIVES STRENGTHS IN TWO DIRECTIONS

ISOTROPIC GIVES STRENGTH EQUALLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS

 Laminar Composites
• LAMINAR COMPOSITES ARE COMPOSED OF LAYERS OF MATERIALS HELD TOGETHER BY MATRIX
• THE TWO OR MORE LAYERS ARE OF THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS. THEY CAN BE ARRANGED IN
DESIRED DIRECTIONS.
• BASED ON THE DIFFERENT LAYERS USED LAMINAR COMPOSITES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO THREE TYPES
1. ALL-METAL (STEEL-ZINC, ALUMINIUM-CLAD, COPPER-CLAD)
2. METAL-NONMETAL (METAL WITH PLASTIC OR RUBBER ETC.)
3. NONMETAL (GLASS-PLASTIC LAMINATES)

REINFORCED LAYER COMPOSITES

LAMINA: ANY ARRANGEMENT OF UNIDIRECTIONAL OR WOVEN FIBRES IN A MATRIX
LAMINATE: IS A STACK OF LAMINA ARRANGED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
ADVANTAGES
• Specific Strength and Stiffness
• Tailored Design
• Fatigue Life
• Dimensional Stability
• Corrosion Resistance
• Cost-Effective Fabrication

DRAWBACKS
• High cost of fabrication of composites
• Complex mechanical characterization
• Complicated repair of composite structures
• High combination of all required properties may not
be available
 APPLICATION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS
 Aerospace applications
 Road and Rail transport applications
 Offshore accord water vehicles
 Building and other civil structures
 Chemical Industries
 Electrical, Electronics and communication applications
 Mechanical systems and machine elements
 Consumer durable products and sports applications
 Biomedical applications
High performance composites being costlier, is used mostly in
defense applications where the performance is given high priority and
not the cost.
Bicycles and Prosthesis? No need for a license!

A strong, ultralight leg prosthesis of graphite/epoxy helps

an athlete compete in world-class bicycle race.
 Aircraft and military applications
Composites are mostly used in aerospace vehicles due to
 weight saving,
 high strength to weight ratio,
 high stiffness to weight ratio,
 low fuel consumption


 Like automotive, in railways also the following sections
of train use composite materials.
 Wagons
 Fronts of power units
 Doors, seats, interior panels