SMK PUCHONG UTAMA (1)

CHEMISTRY FOLIO 2013

TITLE : COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND THEIR USES

NAME : GANESHWARA SHANMUGAM
CLASS : 4 SAINS 1
TEACHERS NAME : PUAN MARANI BINTI AHMAD
Composite materials (also called composition materials or shortened to composites) are materials made
from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties, that
when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The
individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. The new material may
be preferred for many reasons: common examples include materials which are stronger, lighter or less
expensive when compared to traditional materials.
Typical engineered composite materials include:
Composite building materials such as cements, concrete
Reinforced plastics such as fiberreinforced polymer
!etal Composites
Ceramic Composites (composite ceramic and metal matrices)
Composite materials are generally used for buildings, bridges and structures such as boat hulls,
swimming pool panels, race car bodies, shower stalls, bathtubs, and storage tan"s, imitation
granite and cultured marble sin"s and counter tops. The most advanced examples perform routinely on
spacecraft in demanding environments.



Composite materials are very essential in our daily life and they provide a lot of benefits to human
being. Reinforced concrete, superconductor, fiber optics, fibre glass and photochromic glass are few
examples of composite materials. The table below shows the properties of composite materials
compared to their components and uses of composites .

A) REINFORCED CONCRETE
Reinforced concrete is a composite material in which concrete#s relatively low tensile
strength and ductility are counteracted by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength
and$or ductility. The reinforcement is usually, though not necessarily, steel reinforcing bars (rebar) and is
usually embedded passively in the concrete before it sets. Reinforcing schemes are generally designed to
resist tensile stresses in particular regions of the concrete that might cause unacceptable crac"ing and$or
structural failure. !odern reinforced concrete can contain varied reinforcing materials made of steel,
polymers or alternate composite material in con%unction with rebar or not. Reinforced concrete may also
be permanently stressed (in compression), so as to improve the behaviour of the final structure under
wor"ing loads. &n the 'nited (tates, the most common methods of doing this are "nown as pre
tensioning and posttensioning.
)R*)+RT&+(
,igh relative strength
,igh toleration of tensile strength
-ood bond to the concrete, irrespective of p,, moisture, and similar factors
Thermal compatibility, not causing unacceptable stresses in response to changing temperatures.
.urability in the concrete environment, irrespective of corrosion or sustained stress for example.
Cannot withstand vibrations
Cheap
Can withstand higher applied forces and loads
'(+(
/iber Reinforced Concrete (/RC) is one of the fastest growing segments in the concrete industry as more
and more engineers, architects, owners, specifiers and concrete contractors are turning to the use of
fibers to supply their reinforcing needs in their concrete applications. )otential pro%ects suited to the use
of fiber reinforced concrete are listed below.
Residential :
driveways, sidewal"s, pool construction with concrete, basements, color concrete, foundations, drainage,
Commercial :
exterior and interior floors, slabs and par"ing areas, roadways
0arehouse $ &ndustrial :
light to heavy duty loaded floors and roadways
,ighways $ Roadways $ 1ridges :
conventional concrete paving, (CC, whitetoppings, barrier rails, curb and gutter wor", pervious
concrete, sound attenuation barriers, etc.
0aterways:
dams, loc" structures, channel linings, ditches, stormwater structures, etc.
!ining and Tunneling:
)recast segments and schotcrete, which may include tunnel lining, shafts, slope stabili2ation, sewer
wor", etc.
+levated .ec"s:
including commercial and industrial composite metal dec" construction and elevated formwor" at
airports, commercial buildings, shopping centers, etc.
3griculture:
farm and animal storage structures, walls, silos, paving, etc.

B) SUPERCONDUCTOR
3 superconductor is a material that can conduct electricity or transport electrons from one atom to
another with no resistance. this means no heat, sound or any other form of energy would be released
from the material when it has reached 4critical temperature5 or the temperature which the material
becomes superconductive. 'nfortunately, most materials must be in extremely low energy state (very
cold) in order to become superconductive. research is underway to develop compounds that become
superconductive at high temperatures. currently, an excessive amount of energy must be used in the
cooling process ma"ing superconductors inefficient and uneconomical.
)R*)+RT&+(
6ero resistance allows large and heavy conventional cables to be replaced with small, light
superconducting cables:
!eissner effect (flux exclusion) allows magnetic levitation of ob%ects:
(uperconducting phase transition shows a sharp differentiation between conventional and
superconductive states
conducts electricity without resistance when cooled by li7uid nitrogen
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(uperconductors are used in the following applications:
8 !aglev (magnetic levitation) trains. These wor" because a superconductor repels a magnetic
field so a magnet will float above a superconductor 9 this virtually eliminates the friction
between the train and the trac". ,owever, there are safety concerns about the strong
magnetic fields used as these could be a ris" to human health.

8 (:'&.s ((uperconducting :uantum &nterference .evices) are used to detect even the wea"est
magnetic field. They are used in mine detection e7uipment to help in the removal of land mines
The '(3 is developing ;+bombs<. These are devices that ma"e use of strong, superconductor
derived magnetic fields to create a fast, highintensity electromagnetic pulse that can disable
an enemy5s electronic e7uipment. These devices were first used in wartime in !arch =>>?
when '(3 forces attac"ed an &ra7i broadcast facility. They can release two billion watts of
energy at once.

The following uses of superconductors are under development:
8 !a"ing electricity generation more efficient
8 @ery fast computing.
*ther impacts of superconductors on technology will depend on either finding superconductors
that wor" at far higher temperatures than those "nown at present, or finding cheaper ways of
achieving the very cold temperatures currently needed to ma"e them wor".

C) FIBRE OPTICS ( OPTICAL FIBRES )
3n optical fiber (or optical fibre) is a flexible, transparent fiber made of high 7uality extruded glass (silica)
or plastic, slightly thic"er than a human hair. &t can function as a waveguide, or ;light pipe<, to transmit
light between the two ends of the fiber.
A
The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the
design and application of optical fibers is "nown as fiber optics.
*ptical fibers typically include a transparent core surrounded by a transparent cladding material
with a lower index of refraction. Bight is "ept in the core by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to
act as a waveguide. /ibers that support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multi
mode fibers (!!/), while those that only support a single mode are called singlemode fibers ((!/).
!ultimode fibers generally have a wider core diameter, and are used for shortdistance communication
lin"s and for applications where high power must be transmitted. (inglemode fibers are used for most
communication lin"s longer than C,>>> meters (?,?>> ft).
Doining lengths of optical fiber is more complex than %oining electrical wire or cable. The ends of
the fibers must be carefully cleaved, and then spliced together, either mechanically or by fusing them with
heat. (pecial optical fiber connectors for removable connections are also available.
)R*)+RT&+(
There are either two distinct layers, the core and the cladding (the core#s refractive index is higher than
the cladding), or there#s %ust one material that has a higher refractive index in the centre which reduces as
you go outwards.
Bight propagates in the fiber by total internal reflection due to the difference in refractive indices.
(ome other properties are dispersion and attenuation$"m.
!ost fibers today are made to minimi2e dispersion for light at and around a wavelength of CEE>
nanometers.
Two main types of fibers used are single moded and multimoded. 1ut most applications use single mode
fibers.
(ome special fibers used in optical amplifiers are doped with +rbium (which means there are erbium ions
in the material).
'(+(
Communication Telephone transmission method uses fibreoptic cables. *ptical fibres transmit energy
in the form of light pulses. The technology is similar to that of the coaxial cable, except that the optical
fibres can handle tens of thousands of conversations simultaneously.

!edical uses *ptical fibres are well suited for medical use. They can be made in extremely thin, flexible
strands for insertion into the blood vessels, lungs, and other hollow parts of the body. *ptical fibres are
used in a number of instruments that enable doctors to view internal body parts without having to perform
surgery.

(imple uses The simplest application of optical fibres is the transmission of light to locations otherwise
hard to reach. 3lso, bundles of several thousand very thin fibres assembled precisely side by side and
optically polished at their ends, can be used to transmit images.



D) FIBREGLASS
-lass is hard, strong and has a relatively high density. ,owever, it is also relatively brittle. )lastic is
elastic, flexible with low density but not as strong asglass. when glass fibres is used for reinforce plastic,
we get a strong composite material called fibre glass. &n brief, fibre glass is a fiber reinforced
polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. The plastic matrix may be epoxy,
a thermosetting plastic (most often polyester or vinyl ester) or thermoplastic.
*ne notable feature of fiberglass is that the resins used are sub%ect to contraction during the curing
process. /or polyester this contraction is often of the order of EFG, and for epoxy it can be much lower,
about =G.
0hen formed as part of fiberglass, because the fibers don#t contract, the differential can create changes
in the shape of the part during cure. .istortions will usually appear hours, days or wee"s after the resin
has set.
0hile this can be minimised by symmetric use of the fibers in the design, nevertheless internal stresses
are created, and if these become too great, then crac"s will form.
)R*)+RT&+(
1) CHEMICAL RESISTANCE
Resin is the component in a composite which is resistant to chemical erosion. The resins in general
use are (in increasing order of importance):
*rthophthalic
&sophthalic
@inilester
The fibreglass components, according to the type of resin chosen, can be used in
applications from a simple environmental attac" to severely corrosive environments.
2) MECHANICAL RESISTANCE
-lass fibres are the component in a composite which ma"es a product mechanically resistant. The
glass fibres in general use are:
Continuous unidirectional fibres
!ultidirectional mats with continuous fibres
3) LIGHTWEIGHT
The specific weight of fibreglass composites (C.HE "g$dm? approx.) ma"es it easy to move and install
the product, as well as reducing the weight carried by supporting structures.
4) LOW MAINTENANCE
Than"s to the intrinsic characteristics of fibreglass, the composites do not need any special
maintenance, even after many years of use in extreme applications. This automatically leads to cost
savings over time.
5) ELECTRICAL INSULATION
/ibreglass does not conduct electricity and the composites are thus ideally suited to applications
where metallic materials would re7uire costly earthing.
&n some specific applications the product needs to be conductive. &n these cases a special additive is
used in the resin to give the compound this characteristic.
6) STRONG
/iberglass is also a strong material. &t can support heavy weight.
7) RESILIENT AND FLEXIBLE
&t is flexible with high tensile strength. it also could return to its original shape after bending, twisting,
stretching and compression

'(+(
/iberglass is an immensely versatile material which combines its light weight with an inherent strength to
provide a weather resistant finish, with a variety of surface textures.
. /iberglass uses also include hot tubs, pipes for drin"ing water and sewers, office plant display
containers and flat roof systems.
3dvanced manufacturing techni7ues such as prepregs and fiber roving extend the applications and the
tensile strength possible with fiberreinforced plastics.
/iberglass is also used in the telecommunications industry for shrouding the visual appearance
of antennas, due to its R/ permeability and low signal attenuation properties. &t may also be used to
shroud the visual appearance of other e7uipment where no signal permeability is re7uired, such as
e7uipment cabinets and steel support structures, due to the ease with which it can be molded,
manufactured and painted to custom designs, to blend in with existing structures or bric"wor". *ther uses
include sheet form made electrical insulators and other structural components commonly found in the
power industries.
1ecause of fiberglass#s light weight and durability, it is often used in protective e7uipment, such as
helmets. !any sports use fiberglass protective gear, such as modern goaltender mas"s and newer
baseball catcher#s mas"s.
-lass reinforced plastics are also used in the house building mar"et for the production of roofing laminate,
door surrounds, overdoor canopies, window canopies and dormers, chimneys, coping systems, heads
with "eystones and sills.

E) ),*T*C,R*!&C -B3((
Photochromic glasses are lenses that dar"en on exposure to specific types of light, most
commonly ultraviolet ('@) radiation. *nce the light source is removed (for example by wal"ing indoors),
the lenses will gradually return to their clear state. )hotochromic lenses may be made
of glass, polycarbonate, or another plastic. )hotochromic materials are those which react reversibly to
light. )hotochromism is therefore distinguished from the familiar photographic processes, which, because
of the chemical development of the image, are essentially irreversible
)R*)+RT&+(
3chieve a sufficient optical density upon dar"ening and rapid rates of dar"ening and fading.
)hotochromic glasses containing copper halides or thallium chloride are also used.
(ensitive to light
'(+(
)hotochromic glass can be used to ma"e many fragile ob%ects such as :
photochromic optical lens
camera lens
car windshields
optical switches information display panels
light intensity meters
optical switches

To understand the meaning of composite materials
To find out the examples of composite materials and their components
To compare and contrast the properties of composite materials with those
of their original components
to evaluate the uses of composite materials
to identify the importance of synthetic material in the daily life
Composite materials are materials made from two or more constituent materials
with significantly different physical or chemical properties that when combined, produce
a material with characteristics different from individual components. The individual
components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. The new material
may be preferred reasons : common examples include materials which are stronger,
lighter or less expensive when compared to traditional materials.

INTRODUCTION
.
OBJECTIVE
.
INFORMATION
.
DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION
.
SOURCES OF REFERENCE
&IT+RI+T $ 0+1(&T+( :
http://en!"#"pe$"%&'(/!"#"/Ph&t&)h'&*")+,en-
http://en!"#"pe$"%&'(/!"#"/Opt")%,+."/e'
http://en!"#"pe$"%&'(/!"#"/S0pe')&n$0)t&'
http://en!"#"pe$"%&'(/!"#"/Re"n.&')e$+)&n)'ete
http://en!"#"pe$"%&'(/!"#"/F"/e'(,%--
R+/+R+IC+ 1**J( :
Bow (wee Ieo, Bim +ng 0ah, +ng Iguan ,ong, =>>E. 1u"u Te"s J1(!
Chemistry /orm K . )etaling Daya : 3badi &lmu (dn. 1hd