COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Content

Defination of composite material

History of composite material

Types of composite material

Advantage and disadvantage of composite material

A composite material is a combination of two materials with different physical and chemical properties.
When they are combined they create a material which is specialised to do a certain job, for instance to
become stronger, lighter or resistant to electricity. They can also improve strength and stiffness. The
reason for their use over traditional materials is because they improve the properties of their base
materials and are applicable in many situations.

Humans have used composites for thousands of years. In 3400 B.C the first man made composites were
engineered by the Mesopotamians in Iraq. The ancient society glued wood strips on top of each other at
different angles to create plywood. Following this, in around 2181 B.C the Egyptians started to make
death masks out of linen or papyrus soaked in plaster. Later on, both of these societies started to
reinforce their materials with straw to strengthen mud bricks, pottery and boats.

In 1200 A.D, the Mongols began to engineer composite bows which were incredibly effective at the
time. These were made out of wood, bamboo, bone, cattle tendons, horn and silk bonded with pine
resin.

The 1930s was an incredibly important time for the advancement of composites. Glass fibre was
introduced by Owens Corning who also started the first fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) industry. The
resins engineered during this era are still used to this day and, in 1936, unsaturated polyester resins
were patented. Two years later, higher performance resin systems became accessible.

What are the Different Types

Ceramic matrix composite

ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are a subgroup of composite materials and a subgroup of ceramics.
They consist of ceramic fibers embedded in a ceramic matrix. The fibers and the matrix both can consist
of any ceramic material, whereby carbon and carbon fibers can also be regarded as a ceramic material.
Application

Heat shield systems for space vehicles, which are needed during the re-entry phase, where high
temperatures, thermal shock conditions and heavy vibration loads take place.

Components for high-temperature gas turbines such as combustion chambers, stator vanes, exhaust
mixers and turbine blades.

Components for burners, flame holders, and hot gas ducts, where the use of oxide CMCs has found its
way.

Brake disks and brake system components, which experience extreme thermal shock (greater than
throwing a glowing part of any material into water).

Components for slide bearings under heavy loads requiring high corrosion and wear resistance.

Metal matrix composite:

, a metal matrix composite (MMC) is a composite material with fibers or particles dispersed in a metallic
matrix, such as copper, aluminum, or steel. The secondary phase is typically a ceramic (such as alumina
or silicon carbide) or another metal (such as steel[1]). They are typically classified according to the type
of reinforcement: short discontinuous fibers (whiskers), continuous fibers, or particulates. There is some
overlap between MMCs and cermets, with the latter typically consisting of less than 20% metal by
volume. When at least three materials are present, it is called a hybrid composite. MMCs can have much
higher strength-to-weight ratios,[2] stiffness, and ductility than traditional materials, so they are often
used in demanding applications. MMCs typically have lower thermal and electrical conductivity and poor
resistance to radiation[citation needed], limiting their use in the very harshest environments.

Application

High performance tungsten carbide cutting tools are made from a tough cobalt matrix cementing the
hard tungsten carbide particles; lower performance tools can use other metals such as bronze as the
matrix.

Some tank armors may be made from metal matrix composites, probably steel reinforced with boron
nitride, which is a good reinforcement for steel because it is very stiff and it does not dissolve in molten
steel.

Some automotive disc brakes use MMCs. Early Lotus Elise models used aluminum MMC rotors, but they
have less than optimal heat properties, and Lotus has since switched back to cast iron. Modern high-
performance sport cars, such as those built by Porsche, use rotors made of carbon fiber within a silicon
carbide matrix because of its high specific heat and thermal conductivity. 3M developed a preformed
aluminum matrix insert for strengthening cast aluminum disc brake calipers,[9] reducing weight by half
compared to cast iron while retaining similar stiffness. 3M has also used alumina preforms for AMC
pushrods.[10]
Ford offers a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) driveshaft upgrade. The MMC driveshaft is made of an
aluminum matrix reinforced with boron carbide, allowing the critical speed of the driveshaft to be raised
by reducing inertia. The MMC driveshaft has become a common modification for racers, allowing the
top speed to be increased far beyond the safe operating speeds of a standard aluminum driveshaft.

Honda has used aluminum metal matrix composite cylinder liners in some of their engines, including the
B21A1, H22A and H23A, F20C and F22C, and the C32B used in the NSX.

Toyota has since used metal matrix composites in the Yamaha-designed 2ZZ-GE engine which is used in
the later Lotus Lotus Elise S2 versions as well as Toyota car models, including the eponymous Toyota
Matrix. Porsche also uses MMCs to reinforce the engine's cylinder sleeves in the Boxster and 911.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon uses monofilament silicon carbide fibers in a titanium matrix for a structural
component of the jet's landing gear.

Specialized Bicycles has used aluminum MMC compounds for its top of the range bicycle frames for
several years. Griffen Bicycles also made boron carbide-aluminum MMC bike frames, and Univega briefly
did so as well.

Some equipment in particle accelerators such as Radio Frequency Quadrupoles (RFQs) or

Reinforce concrete

also called reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and ferroconcrete, is a composite material in which
concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of
reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ductility. The reinforcement is usually, though not
necessarily, steel bars (rebar) and is usually embedded passively in the concrete before the concrete
sets. However, post-tensioning is also employed as a technique to reinforce the concrete. In terms of
volume used annually, it is one of the most common engineering materials.[1][2] In corrosion
engineering terms, when designed correctly, the alkalinity of the concrete protects the steel rebar from
corrosion.[3]

Glass fibre reinforced concret

is a type of fibre-reinforced concrete. The product is also known as glassfibre reinforced concrete or GRC
in British English.[1] Glass fibre concretes are mainly used in exterior building façade panels and as
architectural precast concrete. Somewhat similar materials are fibre cement siding and cement boards.

GFRC is incredibly versatile and has a large number of use cases due to its strength, weight, and design.
The most common place you will see this material is in the construction industry. It's used in very
demanding cases such as architectural cladding that's hanging several stories above sidewalks or even
more for aesthetics such as interior furniture pieces like GFRC coffee tables.

Plastic coated paper

Plastic-coated paper is a coated or laminated composite material made of paper or paperboard with a
plastic layer or treatment on a surface. This type of coated paper is most used in the food and drink
packaging industry.

Function

The plastic is used to improve functions such as water resistance, tear strength, abrasion resistance,
ability to be heat sealed, etc.

Some papers are laminated by heat or adhesive to a plastic film to provide barrier properties in use.
Other papers are coated with a melted plastic layer: curtain coating is one common method.

Printed papers commonly have a top coat of a protective polymer9

Most plastic coatings in the packaging industry are polyethylene (LDPE) and to a much lesser degree
PET. Liquid packaging board cartons typically contain 74% paper, 22% plastic and 4% aluminum. Frozen
food cartons are usually made up of an 80% paper and 20% plastic combination.[1

Engineered bamboo

a set of composite products produced from bamboo. It is designed to be a replacement for wood[1] or
engineered wood, but is used only when high load bearing strength is not required[2] because building
standards for this type of use have not been agreed by regulatory bodies.[3] Engineered bamboo comes
in several different forms, including bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo,[4] which has three times
the structural capacity as normal timber[5] and is defined and regulated by the ASTM International
Standard

Sandwich panel

A sandwich panel is any structure made of three layers: a low-density core (PIR, mineral wool, XPS), and
a thin skin-layer bonded to each side.

Sandwich panels are used in applications where a combination of high structural rigidity and low weight
is required.