Composite Material Defined

A materials system composed of two or

more distinct phases whose combination
produces aggregate properties different
from those of its constituents
Examples:
Cemented carbides (WC with Co binder)
Plastic molding compounds with fillers
Rubber mixed with carbon black
Wood (a natural composite as distinguished from a
synthesized composite)
Why Composites are Important
Composites can be very strong and stiff,
yet very light in weight
Strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight
ratios are several times greater than steel or
aluminum
Fatigue properties are generally better
than for common engineering metals
Toughness is often greater
Possible to achieve combinations of
properties not attainable with metals,
ceramics, or polymers alone
 Disadvantages and
Limitations
 Properties of many important composites are
anisotropic
May be an advantage or a disadvantage
 Many polymer-based composites are subject to
attack by chemicals or solvents
Just as the polymers themselves are
susceptible
 Composite materials are generally expensive
 Manufacturing methods for shaping composite
materials are often slow and costly
Composite Material
Components in a Composite Material

Most composite materials consist of two

phases:
1. Primary phase - forms the matrix within
which the secondary phase is imbedded
2. Secondary phase - imbedded phase
sometimes referred to as a reinforcing
agent, because it usually strengthens the
composite material
 The reinforcing phase may be in the form of
fibers, particles, or various other geometries
 Classification of
Composite Materials
1. Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) - mixtures of
ceramics and metals, such as cemented
carbides and other cermets
2. Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) - Al2O3 and
SiC imbedded with fibers to improve properties
3. Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) - polymer
resins imbedded with filler or reinforcing agent
 Examples: epoxy and polyester with fiber
reinforcement, and phenolic with powders
 Functions of the Matrix
Material
Primary phase provides the bulk form of
the part or product made of the composite
material
Holds the imbedded phase in place,
usually enclosing and often concealing it
When a load is applied, the matrix shares
the load with the secondary phase, in
some cases deforming so that the stress is
essentially born by the reinforcing agent
 Reinforcing Phase

 Function is to reinforce the primary phase

 Reinforcing phase (imbedded in the matrix) is
most commonly one of the following shapes:
fibers, particles, or flakes
 Also, secondary phase can take the form of an
infiltrated phase in a skeletal or porous matrix
Example: a powder metallurgy part
infiltrated with polymer
Fibers

Filaments of reinforcing material, usually

circular in cross section
Diameters from ~ 0.0025 mm to about 0.13 mm
Filaments provide greatest opportunity for
strength enhancement of composites
Filament form of most materials is significantly
stronger than the bulk form
Fibers

Filaments of reinforcing material, usually

circular in cross section
Diameters from ~ 0.0025 mm to about 0.13 mm
Filaments provide greatest opportunity for
strength enhancement of composites
Filament form of most materials is significantly
stronger than the bulk form
Fibers Materials

Filaments of reinforcing material, usually

circular in cross section
Diameters from ~ 0.0025 mm to about 0.13 mm
Filaments provide greatest opportunity for
strength enhancement of composites
Filament form of most materials is significantly
stronger than the bulk form
Fiber Materials

Glass
Aramid or Kevlar® (very light)
Carbon (high modulus or high strength)
Boron (high modulus or high strength)
Ceramic
High-density polyethylene
Natural fibers (flax, hemp, sisal, etc.)
Fiber Materials-Glass

Glass fibers are processed from bulk

glass.
- The high strength of glass fibers is attributed to the low number and
size of defects on the surface of the fiber.
- All glass fibers have similar stiffness but different strength values and
different resistance to environmental degradation.
Fiber Materials-Glass
- E-glass fibers (E for electrical) are used where high tensile strength
and good chemical resistance is required. E-glass is the preferred
structural reinforcement because of the combination of mechanical
performance, corrosion resistance, and low cost (about $1.60/kg).
- S-glass and S-2-glass (S for strength) have the highest strength but
they are of limited application because they cost three to four times
more than E-glass. For this reason, low cost carbon fibers are now
considered as an alternative to S-glass and S-2-glass.
- C-glass (C for corrosion) is used for corrosion-resistant applications.
- D-glass (D for dielectric) is used for electrical applications such as the
core reinforcement of high voltage ceramic insulators.
- A-glass and AR-glass (alkaline resistant) are used for lightweight
surfacing veils or mats.
- R-glass fiber is the European counterpart of the American high
performance S-glass.
Fiber Materials-Aramid

Made of polyamide with trade names

Kevlar, Technora, Twaron.
- They have high energy absorption during failure, which makes them
ideal for impact and ballistic protection.
- Because of their low density, they offer high tensile strength-to-
weight ratio, and high modulus-to-weight ratio, which makes them
attractive for aircraft and body armors.
- Since aramid fibers are made of a polymer material, they have
similar characteristics to the polymer matrices. They have low
compressive strength; they creep, absorb moisture, and are
sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light.
- Also, their mechanical properties vary with temperature.
Fiber Materials-Carbon

Carbon fibers, also called graphite fibers,

are lightweight and strong fibers with
excellent chemical resistance.
 Two main raw materials, or precursors, are used: polyacrylonitrile
(PAN) and pitch.
 Pitch fibers are less expensive but have lower strength than PAN
fibers.
 The tensile strength of pitch fibers is about one-half and their
compressive strength is about one-third of that of PAN fibers, due to
intrinsic structure that makes them more sensitive to surface
defects.
Fiber Materials-Carbon
 Also, the stress corrosion (static fatigue) phenomenon is less
marked for carbon fibers.
 Some of the limitations of carbon fibers are their low shock
resistance (due to their high rigidity, high fragility), as well as
susceptibility to chemical attack in the presence of oxygen and other
oxidizing compounds at temperatures higher than 400 Celcius.
 Galvanic corrosion will take place if carbon fiber composites are in
electrical contact with metals, due to their good electrical resistance.
Therefore, an insulating barrier needs to be created between carbon
fiber composites and metal parts in the same structure. This is
usually accomplished by adding a lamina of glass-mat reinforced
composite.
Fiber Materials-Carbon
Fiber Materials-Carbon Nanotubes
 Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are comprised entirely of carbon atoms
that lie in a nearly defect-free graphitic plane rolled into a seamless
cylinder. The absence of defects and the strength of the carbon–
carbon bonds are responsible for the incomparable stiffness and
strength of CNT, up to 1.5 TPa modulus and 200 GPa tensile
strength.
 Two structural forms of carbon nanotubes exist, single-walled
(SWNT) and multi-walled (MWNT).
Fiber Materials-Boron
 Boron fibers are produced by chemical vapor deposition on a
tungsten wire.
 High stiffness, high strength, and low density are common to boron
fibers.
 They are most notably used as reinforcement in aerospace and
sporting goods. The strength values are controlled by the statistical
distribution of flaws during the manufacturing process.
 The mechanical properties are preserved at high temperatures
 They also feature high toughness, high fatigue strength, and a very
good compressive behavior.
 They are fragi
Fiber Materials-Ceramic
 Ceramic fibers are used for high temperature applications.
 Silicon Carbide (SiC) fibers are produced like boron fibers but on a
carbon substrate. They have their greatest application as
reinforcement for metal matrices, primarily titanium, but they have
also been used in combination with temperature-resistant polymeric
matrices. SiC fibers are characterized by high stiffness and high
strength and most notably they exhibit higher temperature capability
as they keep their initial tensile strength up to about 1300 Celcius.
 Alumina fibers are based on alumina oxide. Unlike other ceramic
fibers, they are not produced by chemical deposition, and thus have
high volume availability and relatively low cost. First used to
reinforce diesel pistons.
Fiber Materials-Metalic
 Metallic fibers include fibers made from a variety of base metals and
alloys. The fiber strength is directly related to the fiber diameter, that
is in turn related to the fiber manufacturing cost.
 The fiber material can be selected for the required application, such
as lightweight aluminum fibers, strong steel fibers, or stiff tungsten
fibers.
 Advantages of these fibers are their excellent electrical and thermal
conductivity.
 Metallic fibers are typically used as filler nets for polymer matrices,
conferring electrical conductivity, electromagnetic interference
protection, or lighting strike protection to the final structural
composite material.
Fiber Materials-Natural Fibers
 Natural fibers can be harvested from the stem, leaves, or seeds of
various plants.
 Leaf fibers are generally coarser than bast fibers. Sisal (agave) and
abaca are common leaf fibers, and are particularly useful for stiff
binder twines and seawater applications, respectively. Fibers
obtained from seeds tend to be coarser and more brittle than bast
fibers. Cotton and coir (coconut) are examples of common seed
fibers.
Fiber Materials-Natural Fibers
 The common advantages of natural fibers, when considered
alongside glass fibers, are: good specific mechanical properties due
to low density, renewable resource with low energy consumption,
low cost and low investment, easier handling and processing,
recycling, and good thermal and acoustic insulation. On the other
hand, the disadvantages include: low strength, variability in quality,
higher moisture absorption, limited processing temperatures, lower
durability, and more inferior fire resistance.
Fiber Forms

Continuous and Discontinuous Fibers:

Fiber Forms

Textiles:
 1D textile, or individual thread. These are called strand, tow, end,
yarn, or roving.
 2D textile, or fabric. It uses the 1D textile, laying threads on various
patterns on a surface. The resulting composite material is a 2D
structure, such as a plate or a shell.
 3D textile. It uses the 1D textile, arranging threads in complicated
3D forms by special textile processing methods. The resulting
composite material features a 3D solid behavior.
Fiber Forms
1D Textiles
 A strand, or end, is an untwisted bundle of continuous filaments
(fibers) used as a unit, called tow if made of carbon fibers. All fibers
in a strand are produced at the same time, from a single furnace,
and spun together.
 A yarn or thread is a twisted strand.
 A roving is a collection of parallel strands, twisted or untwisted, each
strand being a separate bundle of fibers as noted before. A roving is
produced by winding together the number of strands needed to
achieve the desired weight per unit length (TEX in g/km) or length
per unit weight (Yield in yd/lb).
 Another expression of linear density is the Denier, which is weight in
grams of 9000 m of yarn. Since all these names refer to the same
yarn characteristic, direct or inverse relationships exist between
them, corrected by the system of units used by each of them.
Fiber Forms
2D Textiles
A nonwoven fabric is usually
called a mat, which is made
by randomly oriented
chopped fibers such as
chopped strand mat,
randomly oriented short
fibers, or swirled tows or
rovings. The latter is called
continuous strand mat or
simply CSM and it is made by
continuous tows or rovings
swirled on a table and
pressed and/or loosely held
together with a very small
amount of binder (adhesive).
Fiber Forms
2D Textiles
Sometimes the mat fibers
are better fixed by stitching
them to a backing surface
or among themselves
without a backing. Stitched
nonwoven fabrics can be
made into very heavy
fabrics, thus reducing the
time and cost of composite
processing, provided they
can be adequately
infiltrated with resin.
Fiber Forms
2D Textiles
A veil is a thin mat used as a surfacing
lamina to improve corrosion resistance of
the composite taking advantage of the
higher matrix content held up in the veil.
Since the veil layer is smooth, without the
texture of a woven fabric, veil also is used
to improve the appearance of the part by
hiding the texture of the reinforcement
underneath. Veils and mats have fibers
oriented randomly in every direction,
leading to isotropic properties in the
composite. Despite their low costs, the
mechanical properties of the composite
material using this kind of reinforcement
are also low.
Fiber Forms
2D Textiles
A woven fabric is a two-dimensional reinforcement obtained by
interlacing of yarns in the weaving machine.
Balanced reinforcing properties can be obtained in both fill and warp
directions, using the same yarn type in both weaving axes. This
weaving architecture is called biaxial woven fabric
Fiber Forms
2D Textiles
Drape is the ability of the fabric to conform to complex multicurved
surfaces, which is needed for the manufacturing of complex parts.
Drape is highly influenced by the weaving pattern, with plain, twill, and
satin weave having increasingly higher drape.

Crimp is a measure of the yarn undulation or waviness in a woven

fabric. A higher crimp represents a higher yarn undulation. Usually the
crimp is expressed as percentage crimp or crimp amplitude.
Percentage crimp is defined as the difference between the length of the
straightened yarn and the distance between the ends of the woven
yarn, in percent. Crimp amplitude (units of length) refers to the
deflection of the yarn axis with respect to the middle surface of the
fabric.
Fiber Materials
Matrix Materials
Matrix carries some of the loads, particularly transverse stress,
intralaminar shear stress, and bearing stress. Some properties of the
composite, such as transverse stiffness and strength, are matrix
dominated. Therefore, they affect the matrix selection more than fiber-
dominated properties.

The properties of the matrix determine the allowable service conditions

for the composite including temperature range, chemical resistance,
abrasion resistance, and weathering capability. Also, the matrix plays a
leading role in regards to heat and electrical conductivity in the
composite as well as dominating the external characteristics such as
appearance. Matrix materials can be polymers, metals, or ceramics.
Matrix Materials
Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a common thermoplastic matrix for
high performance applications. It has very high fracture toughness,
which is important for damage tolerance of composites PEEK is a semi-
crystalline thermoplastic with very low water absorption (about 0.5% by
weight) at room temperature, much lower than for most epoxies.
Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic with
an excellent chemical resistance. Polysulfone (PSUL) is an amorphous
thermoplastic with very high elongation to failure and excellent stability
under hot and wet conditions.
Polyetherimide (PEI) and polyamide-imide (PAI) are amorphous
thermoplastics with high glass transition temperatures.
Matrix Materials
- Polyester resins are high value, low cost resins with high
performance/cost ratio.
- Vinyl ester resins have higher elongation and corrosion properties
than polyesters, providing a transition in properties and cost to the high-
performance epoxy resins, but maintaining the processing versatility of
polyesters. They are highly resistant to acids, alkalies, solvents,
hypochlorites, and peroxides. Brominated versions have high flame
retardancy.
- Epoxy resins are widely used because of their versatility, high
mechanical properties, and high corrosion resistance. Epoxies shrink
less than other materials (1.2–4% by volume), which helps explain their
excellent bond characteristics when used as adhesives.
- Phenolic resins have low flammability and low smoke production,
compared to other low cost resins. Furthermore, they have good
dimensional stability under temperature fluctuations and good adhesive
properties.
Matrix Materials
Matrix Materials
Biodegradable matrices are defined as polymers whose physical and
chemical properties allow them to undergo complete degradation when
they are exposed to microorganisms, carbon dioxide (aerobic
processes), methane (anaerobic processes), and water (aerobic and
anaerobic processes).
Matrix Materials
 Biomass: polymers obtained from biomass such as agro-polymers
from agro-resources (e.g., starch or cellulose).
 Polysaccharides: description
 Starches: Wheat, potato, maize.
 Ligno-cellulosic: Wood, straws.
 Other: Pectins, chitosan, gums.
 Proteins, Lipids: description
 Animal: Caesein, whey, gelatin.
 Vegetable: Soy, gluten.
 Microorganisms: Polyhydroxy-alkanoates (PHA), Polyhydroxy-
butyrate (PHB), Ployhydroxy-butyrate co-valerate (PHBV).
 Biotechnology: Polylactides, Polylactic acid.
 Petrochemical: Polycaprolactone (PCL), Polyesteramide (PEA),
Aliphatic co-polyesters (PBSA), Aromatic co-polyesters (PBAT).
Physical Properties
Physical Properties
Physical Properties
Physical Properties