MSE 3160 COMPOSITE MATERIALS

PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES of
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
Manisa Celal Bayar University
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
2021
Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion Molding
(Vacuum Assited Resin Transfer Molding)
(VARTM/Vacuum Bagging)
VARTM or Vacuum Bagging is composite manufacturing
process to produce high-quality large-scale components
 VARTM Processing Steps
A dry fabric or preform and accompanying
materials such as release films, peel plies are
laid on tool surface.
The preform is sealed with a vacuum bag and
the air is evacuated by a vacuum pump.
Liquid resin with hardener from an external
reservoir is drawn into the component by
vacuum.
The liquid resin with hardener is infused into
the preform until complete impregnation.
Curing and de-moulding steps follow the
impregnation to finish the product.
 VARTM Processing Components
Vacuum bagging films are sealed to the edge of the mould with
vacuum bag sealant tape to create a closed system.
Double side bag sealant tapes are used to provide a vacuum
tight seal between the bag and the tool surface.
Release films are typically placed directly in contact with the
laminate. They separate the laminate from the distribution
medium.
Release fabrics and peel plies are placed against the surface of
the laminate. Release films impart a gloss finish on the cured
laminate. Peel plies provide a clean, uncontaminated surface for
subsequent bonding or painting.
 VARTM Processing Components
A highly permeable layer called “resin distribution medium”
placed on the top of the preform spreads the resin quickly over
the lateral extent of the part.
Bleeder/breather fabrics are non-woven fabrics allow air and
volatiles to be removed from within the vacuum bag throughout
the cure cycle.
 Metal Matrix Composite (MMC)
Production Techniques
Processing of metal matrix
composites (MMC) can be
classified into 3 main
categories:
Solid State Processing
Liquid State Processing
In-Situ Processing
 MMC Production Techniques
Solid State Processing
Diffusion bonding is a common solid-state processing technique
for joining similar or dissimilar metals. Inter-diffusion of atoms
between clean metallic surfaces at an elevated temperature, leads
to bonding.
Wide variety of metal matrixes, control of fiber orientation and
volume fraction are the main advantages.
Long processing times, high processing temperatures and
pressures (which makes the process expensive) and limitation on
the complexity of shapes are the disadvantages.
Vacuum hot pressing is an important step in the diffusion bonding
processes for MMCs. Instead of uniaxial pressing, hot isostatic
pressing (HIP) can be also used.
 MMC Production Techniques
Solid State Processing-Diffusion Bonding
 MMC Production Techniques
Solid State Processing-
Powder Blending&Consolidation
Powder processing methods are used to fabricate particulate or short
fiber reinforced composites.
It involves cold pressing and sintering, or hot pressing to fabricate
primarily particle- or whisker-reinforced MMCs.
The matrix and the reinforcement powders are blended to produce a
homogeneous distribution.
The blending stage is followed by cold pressing to produce a green
body, which is about 80% dense and can be easily handled.
The cold pressed green body is canned in a sealed container and
degassed to remove any absorbed moisture from the particle surfaces.
The material is hot pressed, uniaxially or isostatically, to produce a fully
dense composite and extruded.
The rigid particles or fibers cause the matrix to be deformed significantly.
 MMC Production Techniques
Solid State Processing-
Powder Blending&Consolidation
 MMC Production Techniques
Solid State Processing-
Powder Blending&Consolidation
Deposition techniques for MMC fabrication
involve coating individual fibers with the
matrix material needed to form the composite
It is followed by diffusion bonding to form a
consolidated composite plate or structural
shape
Several deposition techniques are available:
immersion plating, electroplating, spray
deposition, chemical vapor deposition
(CVD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD) Microstructure of multilayered Al/SiC
composite deposited by PVD.
Thickness of the layers increases
PVD may also be used to produce with distance from the Si substrate.
multilayered MMCs, particularly at the
nanometer scale
 MMC Production Techniques
Liquid State Processing-
Casting (Liquid Infiltration)
Casting or liquid infiltration involves
infiltration of a fibrous or particulate
reinforcement preform by a liquid metal.
Liquid-phase infiltration of MMCs is not
straightforward, mainly because of
difficulties with wetting the ceramic
reinforcement by the molten metal.
When the infiltration of a fiber preform occurs
readily, reactions between the fiber and the
molten metal may take place which
significantly degrade the properties of the fiber.
 MMC Production Techniques
Liquid State Processing-
Casting (Liquid Infiltration)
A liquid infiltration process called the Duralcan process involving
particulate reinforcement, has been successfuly used for MMC
synthesis.
Ceramic particles and ingot-grade aluminum are mixed and melted.
The melt is stirred slightly above the liquidus temperature
(600−700°C).
The solidified ingot may also undergo secondary processing by
extrusion or rolling.
The Duralcan process of making particulate composites by a liquid
metal casting route involves the use of 8−12 μm particles.
Liquid-State Processes Casting or liquid infiltration.
MMC Production Techniques
Liquid State Processing-
Duralcan Process
 MMC Production Techniques
Liquid State Processing-
Squeeze Casting
Squeeze Casting involves forcing a liquid metal into a fibrous or particulate
preform. Pressure is applied until solidification is complete.
By forcing the molten metal through small pores of the fibrous preform, this
method obviates the requirement of good wettability of the reinforcement by
the molten metal.
Composites fabricated with this method have the advantage of minimal
reaction between the reinforcement and molten metal because of the short
processing time involved.
 MMC Production Techniques
Liquid State Processing-
Squeeze Casting
Process is conducted in the
controlled environment of a
pressure vessel and rather
high fiber volume fractions;
complex shaped structures
are obtainable.
Alumina fiber reinforced
intermetallic matrix
composites, e.g., TiAl, Ni3Al,
and Fe3Al matrix materials,
have also been prepared by
squeeze casting.
 MMC Production Techniques
Liquid State Processing-
Stir Casting
Particulate reinforcements (or short fibers)
are mixed with liquid metal melt and the
mixture then solidifies.
Pre-treated particles are inserted into the
vortex of molten alloy, which is created by
a rotating impeller/mechanical stirrer.
Handicap of stir casting process is the
non-uniform distribution of particles in the
molten alloy, which leads to sediments.
Generally, up to 30% particles in the size
of 5-100 micrometer can be incorporated
into the metal alloy.