Materials Science and Engineering

Fall 2022

Worksheet for session 14

Name:eleazar garcia robles date:26 11 22 Page | 1

Understand the structure-properties-processing relations in

composites at a basic level.

Focus on the basics about the structure, properties, and processing of some of the most common
composite materials, including particulate, laminar and fiber-reinforced composites such as concrete,
plywood, and glass and carbon-fiber polymers. We will also take a look at some construction materials.

Instructions:
- Study Askeland´s and/or Callister´s chapters corresponding to Composites and Construction
materials
- For the calculations, avoid using a calculator, use computational tools.

FIME-UANL
M. Hinojosa
 Materials Science and Engineering
Fall 2022
1.- Write a brief essay about the structure-properties-processing relations in wood:
2.- Write a brief essay about the structure-properties-processing relations in concrete:
3.- Write a brief essay about the structure-properties-processing relations in Glass-fiber and Carbon-
Fiber reinforced plastics.
4.- Read the following document: Page | 2
https://www.newcivilengineer.com/the-future-of/future-of-bridges-florida-bridge-collapse-has-some-
hard-lessons-16-12-2019/
Write a one-paragraph summary and your opinion about the subject.
5.- Suppose 2 wt% ThO2 is added to nickel. Each ThO2 particle has a diameter of 1000 Å. How many
particles are present in one cubic centimeter if the densities of ThO2 and nickel are 9.69 and 8.9 g/cm3,
respectively?

ThO2 fraction= (2/9.69)/(2/9.69)+(98/8.9)=.0184

Volume= 4/3pir3= 4/3pi(.5x10^-5cm) ^3= .524x10^-15cm^3
Particles= .0184/.524x10^-15= 35.1x10^12particles/cm3

6.- A cemented carbide cutting tool used for machining contains 75 wt% WC, 15 wt%, TiC, 5 wt% TaC,
and 5 wt% Co. Estimate the density of the composite. The densities of the components of the
composite are: ρTaC = 14.5 g/cm3, ρCo = 8.83 g/cm3, ρWC = 15.77 g/cm3, ρTiC = 4.94 g/cm3.

Fraction=
WC=(75/15.77)/75/15.77+15/4.94+5/14.5+5/8.83= .546
TiC= (15/4.94)/8.7= .349
TaC= (5/14.5)/8.7= .04
Co= (5/8.9)/8.7= .065
Density: (.546*15.77)+(.349*4.94)+(.04*14.5)+(.065*8.83)= 11.5g/cm3

7.- A silver-tungsten composite for an electrical contact is produced by first making a porous tungsten
powder metallurgy compact, then infiltrating pure silver into the pores. The density of the tungsten
compact before infiltration is 14.5 g/cm3. Calculate the volume fraction of porosity and the final weight
percent of silver in the compact after infiltration.

volume fraction porosity= 1-.75= .25

%= .25*10.49/.25*10.49+.75*19.25x100= 15%
8.- Design a clay-filled polyethylene composite suitable for injection molding of inexpensive components.
The final part must have a tensile strength of at least 3000 psi and a modulus of elasticity of at least
80,000 psi. Polyethylene costs approximately 50 cents per pound, and clay costs approximately 5 cents
per pound. The density of polyethylene is 0.95 g/cm3 and that of clay is 2.4 g/cm3.

FIME-UANL
M. Hinojosa
 Materials Science and Engineering
Fall 2022

Page | 3

In 1000cm3 of composite parts, there are 350cm3 of clay and 650cm3 of PE In the composite,
or:
Clay= ((350cm3)(2.4g/cm3))/454g/lb= 1.85lb
PE= ((650cm3)(.95g/cm3))/454g/lb= 1.36lb
Cost:
Clay= 1.85lb*.05dll/lb= .0925dlls
PE= 1.36lb*.5dll/lb= .68dlls
Total= .7725dlls per 1000cm3
Density is: .35*.24+.65*.95= 1.46g/cm3
1.06 clay lb*.05dlls/lb= .053
1.67 PE lb*.5dlls/lb= .835
Total= .89 per 1000cm3
Density: .2*2.4+.8*.95= 1.24g/cm3
The material costs 15% more, but there is a weight savings of 15

9.-Boron coated with SiC (or Borsic) reinforced aluminum containing 40 vol% fibers is an important
high-temperature, lightweight composite material. Estimate the density, modulus of elasticity, and
tensile strength parallel to the fiber axis. Also estimate the modulus of elasticity perpendicular to the
fibers.

FIME-UANL
M. Hinojosa
 Materials Science and Engineering
Fall 2022

Page | 4

Density:
.6*2.7+.4*2.36= 2.56g/cm3
E= .6*10x10^6+.4*55x10^6= 28x10^6psi
TS= .5*5000+.4*400000= 163000psi
1/E= .6/10x10^6 + .4/55x10^6 = .06727x10^-6
E= 14.9x10^6 psi

10.- Glass fibers in nylon matrix provide reinforcement. If the nylon contains 30 vol% E-glass fibers,
what fraction of the force applied parallel to the fiber axis is carried by the glass fibers?

Evidrio= 10.5x10^6psi

FIME-UANL
M. Hinojosa
 Materials Science and Engineering
Fall 2022

Enylon= .4x10^6psi
10.5x10^6/.4c10^6= 26.25psi
Fraction= .3/.3+.7(1/26.25)=.92

Page | 5
11.- We are now using a 7075-T6 aluminum alloy (modulus of elasticity of 10 * 106 psi) to make a 500-
pound panel on a commercial aircraft. Experience has shown that each pound reduction in weight on the
aircraft reduces the fuel consumption by 500 gallons each year. Design a material for the panel that will
reduce weight, yet maintain the same specific modulus, and will be economical over a 10-year lifetime
of the aircraft.

Specific Modulus=
10x10^6psi/((2.7g/cm3)(2.54cm/inch)^3)/454g/lb = 1.03x10^8 inch
Density:
.6*.085+.4*.09= .087lb/inch^3
E=.6*55x10^6 + .4*11x10^6= 37x10^6psi
Specific Modulus= 37x10^6/.087= 4.3x10^8inch
12.- Determine the amounts of water, cement, sand, and aggregate in 5 cubic meters of concrete,
assuming that we want to obtain a water/cement ratio of 0.4 (by weight) and that the
cement/sand/aggregate ratio is 1:2.5:4 (by weight). A “normal” aggregate will be used, containing 1%
water, and the sand contains 4% water. Assume that no air is entrained into the concrete.

Cement= 94lb/bag/190lb/ft3= .495ft3

Sand= 2.5x94lbcement/160lb/ft3= 1.469ft3
Aggregate= 4x94lbcement/170lb/ft3= 2.212ft3
Water= .4x94lbcement/62.4lb/ft3= .603ft3

Total Volume/bag= 4.78ft3/cement bag

5cubic meters
Cement= 135ft3/4.78ft3/bag= 28bags
Sand= 28*94*2.5= 6580lb
Aggregate= 28*94*4= 10528lb
Water= 28*94*.4= 1053lb
Sand= 6850/.96= 6854lb and water= 274lb
Aggregate= 10528/.99= 10634lb and water= 106lb
Water= 1053lb-274lb-106lb= 673lb
= (673) (7.48)/62.4= 81gallons of wate

FIME-UANL
M. Hinojosa