ABESAMIS – ANCHETA – FRANCO – GAMEZ – JINCO – ORFALAS

A material system composed of two or more distinct phases

whose combination produces aggregate properties different from
those of its constituents
▪ Very strong and stiff, yet very light in weight
Strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios are several times greater than
steel or aluminum

▪ Fatigue properties are generally better than for common

engineering metals
▪ Toughness is often greater
▪ Possible for them to achieve combinations of properties that are
not attainable with metals, ceramics, or polymers alone
1. Technology and Classification of Composite Materials
2. Metal Matrix Composites
3. Ceramic Matrix Composites
4. Polymer Matrix Composites
5. Guide to Processing Composite Materials
Traditional composites – occur in nature or have been
produced by civilizations for many years

Examples: wood, concrete and asphalt mixed with gravel

Synthetic composites - modern material systems normally

associated with the manufacturing industries

Components are first produced separately and then combined to achieve the
desired structure, properties, and part geometry
1. Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) - mixtures of ceramics
and metals, such as cemented carbides and other cermets

2. Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) - Al2O3 and SiC

imbedded with fibers to improve properties

3. Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) - polymer resins

imbedded with filler or reinforcing agent
 MMC

Metal Ceramic

Composites

PMC CMC

Polymer
Metal matrix reinforced by a second phase
▪ Reinforcing phases:
1. Particles of ceramic
▪ These MMCs are commonly called cermets
2. Fibers of various materials
▪ Other metals, ceramics, carbon, and boron
A cermet is ideally designed to have the optimal properties of
both a ceramic, such as high temperature resistance and
hardness, and those of a metal, such as the ability to undergo
plastic deformation.
▪ The ceramic often dominates the mixture, sometimes up to
96% by volume
▪ Cermets can be subdivided into
1. Cemented carbides – most common
2. Oxide-based cermets – less common
One or more carbide compounds bonded in a metallic matrix
▪ Common cemented carbides are based on tungsten carbide
(WC), titanium carbide (TiC), and chromium carbide (Cr3C2)
▪ Tantalum carbide (TaC) and others are less
common
▪ Metallic binders: usually cobalt (Co) or nickel (Ni)
▪ Tungsten carbide cermets (Co binder)
▪ Cutting tools, wire drawing dies, rock drilling bits, powder metal dies,
indenters for hardness testers
▪ Titanium carbide cermets (Ni binder)
▪ Cutting tools; high temperature applications such as gas-turbine nozzle
vanes
▪ Chromium carbide cermets (Ni binder)
▪ Gage blocks, valve liners, spray nozzles
Ceramic primary phase imbedded with a secondary phase,
usually consisting of fibers
▪ Attractive properties of ceramics: high stiffness, hardness,
hot hardness, and compressive strength; and relatively low
density
▪ Weaknesses of ceramics: low toughness and bulk tensile
strength, susceptibility to thermal cracking
▪ CMCs represent an attempt to retain the desirable properties
of ceramics while compensating for their weaknesses
CMC applications are in fields requiring reliability at high-
temperatures (beyond the capability of metals) and resistance
to corrosion and wear.
These include:
▪ 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 and turbine blades.
Thermal soak aerodynamic heat shield Turbine blade from a Turbo-
used on the Space Shuttle. Union RB199 jet engine.
▪ 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.
Propane burner Close-up of a Heavy Duty Linear
with a Bunsen disc brake on a Bearing Slide
flame car Rails
Polymer primary phase in which a secondary phase is imbedded
as fibers, particles, or flakes
▪ Commercially, PMCs are more important than MMCs or
CMCs
▪ Examples: most plastic molding compounds,
rubber reinforced with carbon black, and
fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs)
PMC consisting of a polymer matrix imbedded with
high-strength fibers
▪ Polymer matrix materials:
▪ Usually a thermosetting plastic such as unsaturated polyester or
epoxy
▪ Can also be thermoplastic, such as nylons (polyamides),
polycarbonate, polystyrene, and polyvinylchloride
▪ Fiber reinforcement is widely used in rubber products such as tires
and conveyor belts
▪ Various forms: discontinuous (chopped), continuous, or woven
as a fabric
▪ Principal fiber materials in FRPs are glass, carbon, and Kevlar
49
▪ Less common fibers include boron, SiC, and Al 2O3, and steel
▪ Glass (in particular E-glass) is the most common fiber material
in today's FRPs
▪ Its use to reinforce plastics dates from around 1920
▪ High strength-to-weight and modulus-to-weight ratios
▪ A typical FRP weighs only about 1/5 as much as steel
▪ Yet strength and modulus are comparable in fiber direction

▪ Good fatigue strength

▪ Good corrosion resistance, although polymers are soluble in
various chemicals
▪ Low thermal expansion for many FRPs
▪ Aerospace – much of the structural weight of today’s airplanes and
helicopters consist of advanced FRPs
▪ Example: Boeing 787
▪ Automotive – some body panels for cars and truck cabs
▪ Low-carbon sheet steel still widely used due to its
low cost and ease of processing
▪ Sports and recreation
▪ FRPs used for boat hulls since 1940s
▪ Fishing rods, tennis rackets, golf club shafts,
helmets, skis, bows and arrows
▪ Kevlar® is a material formed by combining para-
phenylenediamine and terephthaloyl chloride.
▪ They are further refined, by dissolving the threads and
spinning them into regular fibres. When woven, Kevlar® forms
a strong and flexible material. If layers of the woven Kevlar®
are combined with layers of resin, the resulting ‘rigid’ material
is light and has twenty times the strength of steel.
▪ It is also superior to specialist metal alloys. But it is expensive
due to the demands of the manufacturing process and the need
for specialist equipment.
Used as a reinforcement
material for some car tires
and bicycle tires. It helps
dramatically reduce puncture
rates.
Kevlar® 29 is ideal because it
is lightweight and non-
flammable and it offers
protection from high
temperatures (fire bombs,
Molotov cocktails etc...).
Kevlar® 29 can also withstand
the harsh environmental
conditions, found in hot
climates.
Kevlar® 49 is used for specialist boat hulls and in the aerospace
industry. It is popular as a material for boats because it is
lightweight and can withstand a considerable amount of force
(torque - twisting force), tensile stress and impact.
▪ The two phases are typically produced separately before being
combined into the composite part
▪ Processing techniques to fabricate MMC and
CMC components are similar to those used for
powdered metals and ceramics
▪ Molding processes are commonly used for PMCs
with particles and chopped fibers
▪ Specialized processes have been developed for
FRPs