CE1313 Properties of Materials

ELASTOMERS
AND COMPOSITES
LECTURE TOPICS…..

• Elastomers
• Classification of composites
• Continuous fibre reinforced composites
• Short fibre reinforced composites
• Mechanical properties of fibre reinforced composites
LEARNING OUTCOMES

You should be able to:

• Understand the mechanical properties of elastomers in terms

of the properties of the polymer chains
• Discuss two different classifications of composites
• Understand and explain the anisotropy in modulus
for continuous fibres and use this for composite design
• Calculate moduli and loads of continuous fibre
composites
• Discuss why there is a critical fibre length and to be able to
determine its value
PROPERTIES OF ELASTOMERS
ELASTOMERS (RUBBERS)
VULCANIZATION OF RUBBER
WHY COMPOSITES?
WHY COMPOSITES?
• A composite material is a material system, a mixture or combination of
two or more micro or macroconstituents that differ in form and
composition and do not form a solution
• Properties of composite materials can be superior to its individual
components
• Carbon fibre composites have replaced steel and aluminium
components in aerospace applications
COMPOSITES IN AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
Amount of composites used by weight of aircraft

Ref: Materials Australia Vol 40 –No4

CES SOFTWARE
Carbon fibre reinforced composite
COMPOSITES

Two extremes of
fibre reinforced
composites

Fibre: High Modulus

Matrix: Low Modulus

Fibre: High Modulus

Matrix: Very Low Modulus
COMPONENTS OF COMPOSITES

• Matrix:
The continuous phase
Purpose is to:
• transfer stress to other phases
• protect phases from environment
• keep dispersed phase together

• Dispersed phase:
Purpose: enhance matrix properties
Increase E, Kc, y, TS, creep resist.
COMPOSITES - CLASSIFICATION

Composites

Particle reinforced Fibre-reinforced Structural

fracture
surface

car tyre, concrete aerospace

sporting equipment
FIBRE-REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES
• Most important composites use glass or carbon-
fibre as reinforcement and polymer (resin) as the
matrix
• High specific strength and specific modulus (ratio
to specific gravity)
• Important to have good adhesion between fibre and End view of glass fibres
embedded in matrix
matrix to prevent fibre pullout and to transfer load
from the matrix to the fibres
FIBRE-REINFORCED COMPOSITES
• The fibres add Material Density Modulus Tensile Dominant Bonding
(g/cm3) (GPa) Strength
rigidity (and strength (GPa)
and toughness) E-Glass 2.58 73 3.4 3D covalent/ionic
(amorphous)
• The matrix holds
C-fibre 1.8 300 4.0 2D
the fibres together covalent/(amorphous)

Kevlar fibre 1.5 125 3.6 Covalent & H-bonding

(crystalline)

Steel fibre 7.9 210 0.3 3D metallic (crystalline)

Epoxy matrix 1.1 3.5 0.05 Covalent and van der

Waals (amorphous)

Polyester 1.1 3 0.05 Covalent and van der

matrix Waals (amorphous)
CONTINUOUS FIBRE COMPOSITE: DEFORMATION

Continuous Fibre reinforced composites provide the best

properties but are also the hardest and more expensive to make
Assume Elastic Deformation
 CONTINUOUS FIBRE COMPOSITE
How does the modulus change as a function of volume fraction?
Case for the stress applied parallel to the continuous fibres

Rule of Mixtures
CONTINUOUS AND ALIGNED FIBRE COMPOSITES

Response to an applied stress – parallel to the fibre direction

fibres and matrix experience the same strain: ISOSTRAIN

 c = m = f
composite fibre Fc Fc
matrix

Fc = Fm + Ff
Stresses on the fibre and matrix depend
on relative amounts of each:

c Ac= fAf + mAm

CONTINUOUS AND ALIGNED FIBRE COMPOSITES

Composite properties vary with

volume fraction of fibres:

volume fibre
vf 
volume fibre  volume polymer

The volume fraction of the

matrix can be determined in the
same way and we have:

matrix fibre vm = 1 - v f
CONTINUOUS AND ALIGNED FIBRE COMPOSITES

c Ac= fAf + mAm Vf = Af/Ac

c = fVf + m(1-Vf)
Substituting Hooke’s Law  = E
cEc = fEfVf + mEm(1-Vf)
However, c = f = m
Stress Applied Parallel to Fibre

Ec = EfVf + Em(1-Vf)
Also
Ff E fVf

Fm EmVm Derive this as a homework exercise
CONTINUOUS AND ALIGNED FIBRE COMPOSITES

Response to an applied load – perpendicular (transverse) to the fibre direction

fibres & matrix experience the

same stress:

 c = m = f
Elastic modulus: E = / 
deformations in fibre and matrix
add:
1 vf vm
Derive this as  
a homework exercise Ec Ef Em
CONTINUOUS AND ALIGNED FIBRE COMPOSITES
Upper Bound Fibres in line with the
stress bear most of the load

Most composites fall

between

Lower bound
NATURAL COMPOSITE: WOOD

Anisotropic

Fibres: cellulose

Matrix: Lignin

High stiffness along the grain

What can we do to stiffen wood

in two different directions?
PLYWOOD
Stack sheets with fibre alignment perpendicular to the
adjacent sheets
 SHORT FIBRE REINFORCEMENT

• Cheapest and easiest to process

• Eg “fibre glass” : glass fibres
embedded in a polyester matrix
• Eg SiC in a metal matrix
• Limitations in enhancement (refer
to continuous fibres)
 SHORT FIBRE REINFORCEMENT

Apply load parallel to fibre (constant )

Matrix stretches a lot

at the ends (not interfered
by the fibre)

• Shear stress at the fibre-matrix interface mismatch in stretchability

• Fibre in tension
• Shear stress greatest at the fibre ends
SHORT FIBRE REINFORCEMENT

Tensile stress in fibre

Fibre is not fully loaded

EFFECT OF FIBRE LENGTH
• No load transmittance at end of fibres
• Critical fibre length, lc, for effective
strengthening
 f f f

lc lc
lc lc 2 2
2 2 f f
f f l  lc
f f l  lc
l  lc
d  fibre diameter
 f  ultimate fibre tensile strength
 c  fibre - matrix bond strength
 EFFECT OF FIBRE LENGTH

fd
lc 
2 c
d  fibre diameter
 f  ultimate fibre tensile strength
 c  fibre - matrix bond strength

• When l >> lc (at least 15 times greater), the fibre is termed continuous
• Decease the diameter (or aspect ratio) to increase the efficiency
 SUMMARY

• Elastomers have highly flexible chains that must be

crosslinked
• Composites are a multiphase material and provides a
better combination of properties
• Aligned and continuous fibre composites are anisotropic
HOMEWORK

• Chapter 16 Callister
Q. 16.8, 16.9, 16.10, 16.11, 16.12, 16.13,
16.14, 16.19, 16.20,