Materials and Manufacturing

Composite Materials
Dr. Ryan McFadden
 Composites

• A composite material is made from a combination of two or more

individual materials or two “phases”

• One of the materials is known as the “matrix phase”. This provides a

continuous structure – like the “glue” that holds the material together

• The other material is known as the “dispersed phase” usually present

as particles or fibres, and these provide properties such as strength
and hardness.

• The purpose of producing a composite material is to obtain a more

desirable combination of properties https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki1aCdkMSeo
– e.g., low density combined with high strength
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Terminology/Classification
• Matrix phase: woven
-- Purposes are to: fibers
- transfer stress to dispersed phase
- protect dispersed phase from
environment
-- Types: MMC, CMC, PMC 0.5 mm
cross
metal ceramic polymer section
view
• Dispersed phase:
-- Purpose:
MMC: increase sy, TS, creep resistance 0.5 mm
CMC: increase fracture toughness KIc Reprinted with permission from
D. Hull and T.W. Clyne, An Introduction
PMC: increase E, sy, TS, creep resistance to Composite Materials, 2nd ed.,
Cambridge University Press, New York,
1996, Fig. 3.6, p. 47.
-- Types: particle, fibre, structural

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Classification of Composites

Adapted from Fig. 16.2,

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

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Particle-Reinforced
1. Large Particle
• The interactions between the matrix and the dispersed phase cannot be
considered at the molecular level
• Particles tend to be harder than the matrix
• Particles restrain movement of the matrix
• Examples:
- Spheroidite matrix: particles: Adapted from Fig.
10.19, Callister &
steel ferrite (a) cementite Rethwisch 8e. (Fig.
(ductile) (Fe3 C) 10.19 is copyright
United States Steel
(brittle) Corporation, 1971.)
60mm
Adapted from Fig. 16.4,
- WC/Co matrix: particles: Callister & Rethwisch
cemented cobalt WC 8e. (Fig. 16.4 is courtesy
Carboloy Systems,
carbide (ductile, (brittle, Department, General
:
tough) hard) Electric Company.)

600mm Adapted from Fig. 16.5,

Callister & Rethwisch
- Automobile matrix: particles: 8e. (Fig. 16.5 is courtesy
tire rubber rubber carbon Goodyear Tire and
Rubber Company.)
(compliant)
black
0.75mm (stiff)
Particle-reinforced
Particle-reinforced
Particle-reinforced
Fibre-Reinforced

• These are the most important technical composites

• Tend to give high strength-low weight performance
• Fibres very strong in tension
– Provide significant strength improvement to the composite
– Ex: fibre-glass - continuous glass filaments in a polymer matrix
• Glass fibres
– strength and stiffness
• Polymer matrix
– holds fibres in place
– protects fibre surfaces
– transfers load to fibres

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Fibre Types

– Whiskers - thin single crystals - large length to diameter ratios

• graphite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide
• high crystal perfection – extremely strong
• very expensive and difficult to disperse

– Fibres
• generally polymers or ceramics
• Ex: alumina, aramid, glass, boron, Ultra high molecular weight
polyethylene,carbon.
– Wires
• metals – steel, molybdenum, tungsten

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The importance of fibre length

 A fibre will have certain mechanical properties, but in order to be effective in

reinforcing a matrix, load needs to be able to be easily transferred from the
matrix to the fibre

 How well load can be transferred to the fibre depends on how good the bond is
between the matrix and the fibre

 Under stress, the fibre-matrix bond ceases at the ends of the fibre

 A critical fibre length is necessary for effective strengthening

The importance of fibre length
The importance of fibre length
The importance of fibre length
Critical fibre length
s d *

lc =
f

2 c
Where:
s *f = Ultimate tensile strength of fibre

d = Diameter of fibre

 c = Fibre-matrix bond strength, or matrix shear yield strength

(whichever is smaller)
Critical fibre length

 For glass fibres or carbon fibres the critical length is usually around
1mm

 If fibre length is very much greater than the critical length (normally
L>15Lc) then they are called “Continuous Fibres”

 If they are shorter than this they are called “short fibres” or
“discontinuous fibres”
 Fibre orientation and concentration
• Orientation of the fibres, concentration of fibres and distribution of fibres all have an
influence on the properties of a composite

Volume fraction is the ratio of the

amount of fibre or matrix material
relative to the entire volume of the
composite:
vf
Volume fraction of the fibres: Vf =
vc

vm
Volume fraction of the matrix: Vm =
vc

Where vf, vm, and vc are the volumes of

the fibres, the matrix and the composite
respectively
Composite Stiffness (Elastic behaviour):
Longitudinal Loading
Continuous fibers - Estimate fibre-reinforced composite modulus of
elasticity for continuous fibers
• Longitudinal deformation
sc = smVm + sfVf and c = m = f

volume fraction Assuming that the matrix and fibre are

firmly bonded there will be a case of
isostrain
 Ec = EmVm + Ef Vf

Or Ec = Em(1-Vf )+ Ef Vf

 Ec = longitudinal modulus c = composite

f = fiber
m = matrix
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Load carried by matrix vs fibres

The ratio of the load carried by the fibres vs the

matrix should be the same as the ratio of Young’s
modulus required

Ff E fVf
=
Fm EmVm
Example

A continuous and aligned glass fibre-reinforced composite consists of

40 %vol of glass fibres having a modulus of elasticity of 69 GPa and 60
vol% of a polyester resin that, when hardened, displays a modulus of
3.4 GPa.

(a)calculate the modulus of elasticity of the composite in the

longitudinal direction
(b) If the cross-sectional area is 250mm^2 and a stress of 50MPa is
applied in the longitudinal direction, compute the magnitude of
the load carried by each of the fibre and matrix phases
(c)Determine the strain that is sustained by each phase when the
stress in part (b) is applied
Composite Stiffness:Transverse Loading

In transverse loading the fibres carry less of the load.

The assumption is that there is isostress.

c= mVm + fVf and s c = sm = sf = s

isostress
1 Vm Vf
 = +
Ect E m Ef

Ect = transverse modulus
EmEf
Ect =
VmEf + Vf Em c = composite
f = fiber
m = matrix


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Example

• Compute the elastic modulus of the composite in the previous example if loading is applied in the
transverse direction E E
Ec = m f

Vm E f + V f Em
Classification: Structural

• Laminates -
-- stacked and bonded fiber-reinforced sheets
- stacking sequence: e.g., 0º/90º Adapted from Fig.
- benefit: balanced in-plane stiffness 16.16, Callister &
Rethwisch 8e.

• Sandwich panels
-- honeycomb core between two facing sheets Strong light weight high bending
- benefits: low density, large bending stiffness stiffness construction. Used on
aircraft access doors and floor
face sheet panels. Hull of super tankers.
adhesive layer
honeycomb

Adapted from Fig. 16.18,

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.
(Fig. 16.18 is from Engineered Materials
Handbook, Vol. 1, Composites, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1987.)
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