Introduction to Composites

Dr. NGOUANOM Joel

ENSPD
2021-2022

1
 Concept of Composites
• Composite material:
Engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent
materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain
separate and distinct (phase-separated) within the finished structure

• Constituents of a composite material:

– Matrix
– Reinforcement / filler

+ =
Plain cheese pizza Toppings Assorted combination pizza

Matrix Reinforcement / Filler Composite

2
 Examples of Composites
Steel-reinforced concrete Boeing 787 Dreamliner Body armor

Improve load-bearing capability both in tension and compression Up to 50% composite by weight Kevlar or Spectra
(UHMWPE) reinforced
composite

Concept car by Hyundai: QarmaQ U.S. Navy DD(X) Wind turbine blade and
nacelle
Superstructure

Ultra-lightweight, pedestrian-safe hood and Composite-based multifunctional superstructure High-modulus, ultra-lightweight wind
body panel turbine systems
3
Examples of Composites

4
 Examples of Composites

Carbon fiber violin manufactured by Mezzo-Forte Streichinstrumente

(sold at ~2,000 euro)

5
 Examples of Composites

The futuristic-looking grand piano is made with a traditional iron frame

and a soundboard made of carbon fiber composite.

6
Examples of Composites

CFRP robotic drumming prosthesis

7
 Putting into Perspective

• 2.0 million tons of chocolate are produced in the U.S.

each year.
• The same as the composite industry!

8
 U.S. Composite Shipments
by End-use Application
1400

1200
32%
1000

Usage in 2000 800 20%

(Million $) 600

400
11% 10% 11%
5% 7%
200
3%
1%

In 2009
~4 bil $ Industry

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Transportation and Construction Segments
Have Broken out of the Pack
U.S. composite shipments
1400
Aircraft
1200 Appliance
Construction
MILLIONS OF LBS

1000 Consumer
Corrosion
800 E&E
Marine
600 Transport
Other

400

200

0
60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 '00
Source: Composites Fabricators Association (CFA), June 2000

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Long‐Term Carbon Fiber Global Demand Potential
Thousand metric tonnes (MT)

11
Global Carbon Fiber Demand and Production

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Composite Applications
Aerospace

13
Aerospace Composites: 40+ Years of Adoption

14
 Military Market of
Advanced Composites (2002)
• Military aircraft purchases
in 2002 are expected to
continue at about the same
level as 2001
• In the U.S.:
– Lockheed/Boeing: F-22
– Lockheed Martin: JSF
program
– V-22 Ospery
– C-17
• In Europe:
– Eurofighter
– M400

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F-22 Material Applications

16
Key Role of RTM Process on Raptor (F-22) Fighter

17
Prepreg / Vaccum Bag / Autoclave

18
Integrated Wing Structure of JST Fighter

Taken at CFA 2001, Orlando

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Composite Usage in Civilian Aircraft

20
Boeing 787 Dreamliner

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Boeing 787 Dreamliner

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 Airbus 380

• This airplane has more than 50% of its structure made of composite materials. made using
hand-lay-up (HLU) and autoclave molding techniques
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Hand-Lay-Up Fabrication Method

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Autoclave Molding Techniques

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Aircraft of the Future? (Airbus)
•Fuselage
The f uselage is no longer a simple tube. It is curved and shaped to
provide more internal space, with better aerodynamics outside to
improve f light. The f uselage and entire aircraf t structure is
manuf actured entirely f rom composite to take advantage of the easy-
to-shape characteristics of the material.
•Manufacturing methods
New manuf acturing methods will reduce the cost and environmental
impact of building the aircraf t despite the new advanced materials and
complex shapes.
•Configured wingspan
Longer, slimmer wings glide better through the skies, as the f low of air
over the wing surf ace reduces drag, and in turn, improves f uel
ef f iciency.
•Intelligent materials
New lightweight 'smart' materials sense the load they are under,
making f or a lighter aircraf t that draws less f uel and curbs emissions.
•Engines
Engines will be more reliable, quieter and f uel-ef f icient. They are
positioned at the rear and semi-embedded to f ully optimize the
aircraf t f or lower f uel burn. This engine placement also reduced cabin
noise levels. The engines can be incorporated into the aircraf t body
because technological advances will have reached such a level that
superior engine reliability will diminish the need f or immediate access
to its components.
•Doors
Entrance and exit doorways are double doors to allow f or f aster and
easier boarding and disembarking.
•Empennage
The empennage (tail section) is U-shaped, acting as a shield to reduce
external noise pollution. The concept plane does not use a vertical tail,
as seen on the planes of today. Vertical tails are required when
engines are installed on the wings as they provide directional stability
in case of engine f ailure. The engines of the f uture will have no risk of
f ailure, eliminating the need f or a vertical tail.
•Electrical systems
The electrical system will monitor its own state of health, anticipating
any need f or maintenance and automatically scheduling this well in
advance. Electronics and other systems on board will be entirely self -
suf f icient, requiring minimum to zero maintenance.

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Composite Applications
Automotive

27
Routes toward Automotive Lightweighting

Composite materials offer

many benefits for
automotive industry

• Lightweight and high fuel efficiency

• Low emission
• Corrosion resistance
• Cost effectiveness

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 Routes toward Automotive Lightweighting
 65.2% metals, 34.8% polymers  PP, PA, and PU make up 85% of plastics.

1.5 Steel PP
4.6 4.5 4.5
4.9 2.9 Fluid 5.0 PU
Tire 23.0 PC/PBT
11.0 10.0
Plastic ABS
2.6 12.0
67.9 Non-ferrous metal 21.0 PVC

4.6 Glass 20.0 PA

Rubber PE
Miscellaneous Miscellaneous

Material composition (weight %) Plastic composition (weight %)

10 Density (g/cm3) 10 Normalized specific modulus

7.8
8 8 6.6
6 6

4 2.7 4 2.7 2.7

1.52 1.9
2 2 1.0

0 0
CFRP SMC Aluminum Steel CFRP SMC Aluminum Steel

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Automotive Lightweighting Using CFRPs

(Toray Industries)
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Automotive Composites : Challenges and Opportunities

Steel design
Issues with composite materials for
automotive industry :
- Long processing time
- High materials costs
Up to 40% - New design methodologies needed
reduction
in weight!

Sales / Revenue / Profit

Automotive
composites

BMW i3 carbon body

Introductory Growth Maturation Decline
Composite design phase phase phase phase

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Automotive Composites : Challenges and Opportunities

Steel design

Up to 40%
reduction
in weight!

BMW i3 carbon body

Composite design

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 FRP Technology Trends for Automotive
• What is the most significant challenge to overcome for composites to
be more widely deployed in high-volume vehicles?

10
12
Cost

17 Repairability
61
Manufacturing/Assembly
Durability/Performance

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 Automotive Composites : Value Chain
Upstream Downstream
Intermediate
Base materials Design Processing Applications
materials
• Fibers • Unimpregnated • Modeling and • Composite part • Automotive
- Raw material - Tows (rovings) simulation processing - BIW
- Precursor - Chopped strand - Structural - Thermoplastics - Structural
- Glass, carbon, mats - Thermofluids - Thermosets - Semi-structural
aramid, etc. - Woven fabrics - Fluid-structure - Exterior
- Short, long, - UD interactions (FSI) • Hybrid molding - Interior
continuous - NCF - Multi-physics - Engine
- Yarns
• Preforming - Drive train
• Resins - 3D fabrics • Part design
- Thermoplastics
• Joining and
- Spread tows assembly
- Thermosets • Mold design
• Prepregs • Mold
• Additives, - Thermoplastics
fillers - Thermosets
fabrication

• Coatings • Sandwich panels • Testing and

evaluation
• Adhesives • Recycling

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 FRP Technology Trends for Automotive
• Current polymer-matrix composites in high-volume production automobiles use:
- Glass fibers, not carbon fibers
- Short or long, not continuous
- Random, not uni- or multi-directional
- Thermoset polymers (either polyesters or vinyl esters) for body panels and
components
- Thermoplastic polymers for semi-structural and functional components
• Potential applications of PMCs in lightweight automotive structures include:
- Body panels and structural components
- Frame and sub-frame sections (door intrusion beams, roof rail sections,
cross beams, etc.)
- Chassis components (control arms, struts, suspension components, etc.)
- Body-in-white structures
• CFRP has a higher weight-saving potential than GFRP.
• Status of CFRP in automotive industry:
- 6% FRPs in 2010  7% FRPs in 2015 (projected); 15 kg/vehicle  for mid-size sedan
- Niche and limited applications in high-performance, low-volume production cars
- Used extensively in motor sports
- Currently no applications in high-volume production cars

35
 FRP Technology Trends for Automotive
• Carbon fiber, despite its cost (~$8/lb or ~20,000 KRW/kg), is working its way farther
into automotive “niche” vehicles. Automakers have started to consider composite
solutions in mid-priced automobiles.
• Business sales of CFRP for automotive applications are expected to reach ~$555
million by 2015.
• GM has announced publicly that it will increase the use of carbon fiber (2009).
• Nissan and Toray are working to bring down the cost of carbon parts through more
efficient processing and lower cure cycles .
• A Japanese consortium led by Nissan is developing a high-cycle resin transfer molding
(RTM) technology, reducing the cycle time from 160 to 10 minutes for epoxy-carbon
fiber flat panels.
 Composite must increase manufacturing speed by almost an order of magnitude to
become competitive.
• Issue:
“Automotive applications of lightweight composites require a balance between
performance and price.” Further, engineering knowledge for part design, and easy
repair and recycling technologies must be accessible. The need is great for higher
performance at lower cost for carbon fibers.

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 FRP Technology Trends for Automotive
• Current applications:
- Door module plate: PP + LFT (long-fiber thermoplastic)
- Body undercover: D-LFT (direct long-fiber thermoplastic)
- Crash pad: PP + talc + rubber
- Rear bumper: GMT (glass mat thermoplastic) + LFT
- Pillar trim: D-LFT
- Cylinder head cover: PA + GF
- Front-end module (FEM): BMC, PA + GF, or PP + LFT)
- Side sill molding: PP + nanoclay

• Future technologies in demand:

- Manufacturing technologies for rapid, large-volume production
- Wide use of thermoplastics
- Smart, self-sensing, structural health monitoring composites
- Expansion into new application areas (e.g., primary structural components)
- Improved recyclability

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FRP Technology Trends for Automotive

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FRP Technology Trends for Automotive

Courtesy: Fraunhofer ICT

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 FRP Technology Trends for Automotive
Current issues and trends : EELCEE
• Rapid manufacturing of thermoset composites (rapd-cure resins, etc.)
• Thermoplastic composites gaining popularity
• Long and continuous fibers (unidirectional (UD), woven, LFT-D)
• Hybrid molding (continuous fiber + injection molding, continuous fiber +
SMC, continuous fiber + long/short fiber, etc.)
• Semi-structural  Structural (primary load-bearing parts)
• Modeling and simulation, multi-materials joining, recycling
• Preforming gaining importance

Impact beam (Audi A6) Airbag housing (KraussMaffei) Seat structure (Faurecia)
“Organomelt”
steering-column
holder by Engel

“Organic hybrid” impact beam by

KraussMaffei-LANXESS (Audi A6)

CAMISMA

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 Front-End Modules (FEMs)
• Multi-piece assemblies that integrate a large number of components: forward lighting,
radiators and cooling fans, air conditioning condensers, grille-opening reinforcement
panels, crumple zones, bumpers with decorative fascia, hood latches, washer bottles,
electronics and wiring, etc.

• Glass-fiber-
reinforced PP or PA
• Injection molded

FEM carrier

Jeep Liberty

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SMC and BMC Applications in U.S. and European Cars
 SMC: sheet molding compound
 BMC: bulk molding compound

M e rce de s-B e nz SL de cklid V o lvo C 70 C abrio le t to nne au co ve r

Audi A4 C abrio le t de cklid

Fo rd Transite (van) grille o pe ning pane l

Re nault Laguna tailgate

Re nault V e lSatis fro nt Puge o t 206 Puge o t 607

fe nde rs and tailgate fro nt-e nd re ar-e nd
Fiat M ultipla fro nt-e nd
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Composite Electric Bus (Hankuk Fiber)

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 Automotive Lightweighting Using CFRPs

Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren (‘04) BMW M3 (‘07) BMW M6 (‘07)

Structure, outer panel Roof Roof panel
Autoclave, RTM RTM
750 units/year 17,000 units/year

Toyota 1/X (‘07) Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (‘08)

Concept car CFRP hood, fender, roof
All CFRP body Autoclave
420 kg

44
 Automotive Lightweighting Using CFRPs
BMW Megacity Vehicle (2014) Monocoque structure

• First use of CFRPs in large-scale

automobile (structure, crash parts, car
body, etc.) production
 Annual volume ~40,000
• Employs high-pressure RTM
• 30% weight reduction vs. aluminum
50% weight reduction vs. steel

45
Automotive Lightweighting Using CFRPs

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 Automotive Lightweighting Using CFRPs

Volkswagen Golf GTi “Carbon” Edition: Ferrari:

- 100 kg lighter  23% more fuel efficient - 20% lighter; 22-27% stiffer
- On sale since October 2012 - Exhibited at Paris Auto Show 2012

Composite material based on carbon Thermoplastic composite

Ford: fiber and a reactive polyamide system
- CFRP bonnet 50% lighter vs. steel and intended for the mass production
materials suitable for high-
- Exhibited at COMPOSITES Europe 2012 of automotive components volume vehicle production

47
 Automotive Lightweighting Using CFRPs

• German company BREYER, in collaboration with the Institut für

Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV) Aachen and Hille Engineering GmbH & Co KG, has
developed a gap impregnation facility with new tooling technology.
• According to BREYER, it allows the automated production of a vehicle bonnet made
of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in only 15 minutes. Sandwich elements can
be manufactured in a single step. Using a fiber composite design, the weight of the
bonnet can be reduced by 60% to about 5 kg.
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Composite Applications
Civil Infrastructure

49
Tanks and vessels Rebar for construction

Pipes Bridges

50
 Pressure vessel made of composite materials
using the combination of hand-lay-up and
filament winding processes

Composite pressure vessels are light weight and can contain

pressures higher than those contained by metallic vessels.

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Filament winding process

52
A two-spindle winder with a carriage-mounted
resin bath

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Infrastructure Repair

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 A composite pultruded connector

Pultrusion is used to make many structures for civil

engineering applications
55
A lab pultrusion machine

56
 A curved piece made by Liquid Composite
Molding (LCM) method

LCM has been used to make automobile composite

components

57
Schematic of the liquid composite molding process

58
 Instrumentation for LCM: pump, mold and
accessories

Resin is filled into the vertical cylinder, then pumped into the
mold cavity on the left-hand side.
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A thermoplastic composite wing box panel made by
compression molding

60
Schematic of the thermoplastic composite molding
process

61
A compression molding machine

62
A thermoplastic composite tube made by the fiber
placement process

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Schematic of the thermoplastic composite
placement process

64
A fiber placement machine

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Composite Applications
Wind Energy

66
 Worldwide Wind Energy Capacity (Installed)
(GW)
World Wind Energy Association Annual Report (2011)

• Wind energy continued its growth in 2011 at an increased rate of 20%.

• Wind energy accounted for more than 3% of global electricity consumption.

• Wind energy sector created more than 440,000 jobs worldwide ~2008.

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Today, there is now 743 GW of wind power capacity
worldwide, helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2
globally – equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of
South America.
68
Increasing Demand for Larger, Lighter, Higher Strength Wind Turbines

69
Composite Applications in Wind Turbines
• Blade
Fairing
Nacelle

• Wind turbine blade manufacturing is one

of the largest single applications of
engineered composites in the world.

• 25-m blade: ~ 2,360 kg; $55,000

35-m blade: ~ 5,216 kg; $125,000
47-m blade: ~12,474 kg; $300,000

• 43,777 blades or more than 200,000 metric

tonnes of finished blade structures
produced in 2007

• Glass fiber: 100,240 tonnes (50%)

Carbon fiber: 2,090 tonnes (1%)
Thermoset resin: 83,550 tonnes (42%)
Core: 8,160 tonnes (4%)
Metal: 6,800 tonnes (3%)

Composites Technology, June 2008

70
Blade Structure and Basic Components

Upper spar cap

Sandwich shell

Sandwich shell
Leading edge

Shear web

Sandwich shell

lower spar cap Sandwich shell Trailing edge

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 Blade Design Scheme
Twist Bending Shear

Bi-axial / Tri-axial
UD
Bi-axial PVC

+ +
PVC / Balsa Spar cap
Shell

Leading edge

Shear web

Trailing edge

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Components of Wind Turbine Blades : Fiber

3T E X Z P L E X
to n g u e - a n d -
g ro o v e p re fo rm

73
Components of Wind Turbine Blades : Resin and Core

74
Comparison of Resins

75
Fiber-Resin Compatibility

76
Resin and Fiber Selection Guideline

77
 New Technologies for Blade Manufacturing

Increasing capacity without new plants

Glass fiber vs. carbon fiber
Infusion vs. AFP (automatic fiber placement) and ATL (automatic tape laying)

78
 Blade Testing
• Full-scale structural test: flapwise, chordwise
• Static (bending) and modal (natural frequency) tests

79
Application of Composites in Cameroon

80
Application of Composites in Cameroon

http://www.akeno.cm/en/

81
 Entangled bunches of fibers

Each shows a tow with fibers aligned and fibers that are
frayed.
82
 Volume Fraction and Weight Fraction
In the manufacturing of composites, weights and weight
fractions are usually used. However, in the determination of
different properties for the composite materials in terms of
the properties of the fiber and the matrix, volume fraction is
usually used. The following gives relations between volume
fractions and weight fractions.

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Volume Fraction and Weight Fraction

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