Com p o s i t e s

Diego Herrera, Diego Tipán, Mathías Lema, Naim Balladares,

Mario Albuja, Andy Pereira
What is composite materials?

A composite material is a combination of two materials that have

different physical and chemical properties. The composite materials
that are generated have better characteristics, for example, they
can be stronger, lighter or electrically resistant, since they are
usually designed for a specific use that requires greater strength,
efficiency or durability.
 also resist heat and corrosion well.
Therefore, their applications are ideal
for products exposed to extreme
environments, such as ships, chemical
handling equipment, aerospace and
automotive industries.
Law of mixtures
Direc
tion
and
Leng
Fibre th of
s
 unidirectional f
Unidirection
al fibr
ibres
es are those
Short fibres
only one dire with
ction of orie They are less than 6 cm
Unidirection ntation.
al fibres are long. Short fibres are mainly
manufactur used to
e composite used in the manufacture of
with very sp materials
ecific mecha fabrics.
nical
properties.

bidirectional fibres Medium fibren s6 and

e two d ir ec t io ns of f betwee
Hav
l fibres Have a length o
B i-d ire c t ion a r es a re used in
orientation. 25 cm. M ed iu m fib
nufacture lications,
are used to ma a variety of app
e m a t er ia ls w ith more g th e m an u f acture of
composit includin
d m ec h a n ica l properties. fabrics, compos
ites and
balance ucts.
industrial prod

ectio n a l f ib r
tridir ree directions of es Long fibres:
Have th Are longer t
ee-
orientation. Thr fibres are m
han 25 cm. L
ong
ion a l f ibr e s a r e used to ainly used in
the
dimens manufacture
mposite of composite
manufacture co materials.
t e ria ls w ith v ery high
ma
h an ic a l p r op e rties.
mec
 Selection
Composite
Parameters
Young's modulus: at least 40 Gpa
Mechanical resistance: 500 Mpa

Materials
Fibreglass E
Fibreglass D
Carbon fibre
Polyester Resin
Epoxy Resin
Bumper beam
 Bumper beam

Its main objective is to ensure the safety, not only of vehicle occupants,
but especially of pedestrians.

the stronger the bumper design is

,the better it protects the
structure of the car. However,
these features can make it
dangerous for other vehicles and
pedestrians.
Creating Composites CES EduPack
Resultant Composites
Resultant Composite
 Polymerization

Monomers Polymers

Homopolymers Monomer particles are all the same

Copolymers Monomer particles are all the different

 Epoxy resin
Before epoxy resin is mixed with a hardener, it typically exists in a liquid or semi-liquid state.

Epoxy resin is a pre-polymer, meaning it has the potential to undergo further

polymerization to form a solid, three-dimensional network when combined with a hardener
and subjected to the curing process.

The epoxy resin is composed of monomeric units derived from compounds like:
bisphenol A, epichlorohydrin, or other epoxy precursors.
 Epoxy resin

Copolymer

epoxy resin + amine = intermediate compound

Hardener

Amines are organic compounds that contain a nitrogen atom with lone pairs of electrons

The resulting cured epoxy structure involves a network of crosslinked chains,

contributing to its desirable properties and applications.
 Short fiber composites
Short fiber composites are created by incorporating
The most common type of fibers used in
short reinforcing fibers into a matrix material
short fiber thermoplastics are glass fiber and
through a combination of mixing, molding, and
carbon fiber .
curing processes.

The advantage of short fibers compared

Short fiber composites can be both synthetically to continuous or long fiber, in
made and naturally sourced. combination with thermoplastic polymers,
is their processability

A curing process, in the context of polymers and composite materials, refers to a controlled chemical or physical
transformation that changes the material from a liquid or malleable state into a solid, crosslinked structure.
 CO2 emissions

Changing the bumper to a Epoxy/Fibreglass manufacturing Studies from the University of

composite material can reduce generates a low CO2 emission Michigan show that a carbon
CO2 emissions by being lighter per kg of Epoxy/Fibreglass. fibre bumper can reduce
and more energy efficient. CO2g/km emissions by up to 12%.
 W e ig h t
Analysis and conclusion
Tensile Strength:
n R e sis t an ce
Corro sio
Short-Aligned Epoxy Glass Fiber: The glass fiber enhances strength In s ul a t io n
r ic a l
compared to pure epoxy but is still generally less robust than steel. Elect ld in g
s e o f M o
Ea
Steel: It can withstand significantly higher loads before deforming
or breaking compared to short-aligned epoxy with glass fiber.

Young's Modulus (a measure of stiffness):

Short-Aligned Epoxy Glass Fiber: It is less rigid and more elastic,

which can be beneficial in applications requiring some flexibility and
impact absorption.

Steel: Steel has a significantly higher Young's modulus compared to

short-aligned epoxy with glass fiber.
Thanks