PROJECT TASK

Title: Design, Fabricate and Testing Composite Materials Plates

COURSE CODE BFC 20903

COURSE NAME MECHANICS OF MATERIALS

FACULTY FKAAS

1. THARUUNEN A/L RAMARAO ( DF140006 )

2. MOHAMAD NIZAMUL HAYAT BIN IZAMUDDIN (CF140147)
3. MUHAMMAD FAIZUL BIN SEDEK MUHAMAD (CF140103)
4. MOHAMAD SUFIAN BIN KAMARUDDIN (DF140007)
5. AHMAD SYAMIM BIN ABBAS (DF140002)
6. MU’IZZUDDIN BIN HERMAN (DF140001)
STUDENT NAMES

SECTION 6

LECTURER NAME ENCIK AHMAD ZURISMAN BIN MOHD ALI

 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)

A Report on Composite Material Plate

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
UTHM

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit
not to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

___________________________
Student Signature

Name : THARUUNEN A/L RAMARAO

Matric No. : DF 140006

Date : 30/05/2015
 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)

A Report on Composite Material Plate

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
UTHM

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit
not to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

___________________________
Student Signature

Name : MOHAMAD NIZAMUL HAYAT BIN IZAMUDDIN

Matric No. : CF 140147

Date : 30/05/2015
 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)

A Report on Composite Material Plate

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
UTHM

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit
not to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

___________________________
Student Signature

Name : MUHAMMAD FAIZUL BIN SEDEK MUHAMAD

Matric No. : CF 140103

Date : 30/05/2015
 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)

A Report on Composite Material Plate

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
UTHM

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit
not to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

____________________________
Student Signature

Name : MOHAMAD SUFIAN BIN KAMARUDDIN

Matric No. : DF 140007

Date : 30/05/2015
 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)

A Report on Composite Material Plate

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
UTHM

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit
not to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

____________________________
Student Signature

Name : AHMAD SYAMIM BIN ABBAS

Matric No. : DF 140002

Date : 30/05/2015
 STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC
(SCE)

A Report on Composite Material Plate

FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING
UTHM

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit
not to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________________
Student Signature

Name : MU’IZZUDDIN BIN HERMAN

Matric No. : DF 140001

Date : 30/05/2015
1.0 Introduction

Composite Material

Composite materials are formed by combining two or more materials that have quite different
properties. The different materials work together to give the composite unique properties, but
within the composite you can easily tell the different materials apart. They do not dissolve or
blend into each other.

Composite material is also combination or mixture of more than two materials, different in
composition, chemical and physical properties. When combined they retain their constituent
identities, that is, they do not lose their individual identities. The materials may be classed as
base, binder, and filler.

Composite materials also can be defined as 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.

Composites exist in nature. A piece of wood is a composite, with long fibres of cellulose held
together by a much weaker substance called lignin. Cellulose is also found in cotton and linen,
but it is the binding power of the lignin that makes a piece of timber much stronger than a
bundle of cotton fibres.
Importance of Composite Material

The greatest advantage of composite materials is strength and stiffness combined with
lightness. By choosing an appropriate combination of reinforcement and matrix material,
manufacturers can produce properties that exactly fit the requirements for a particular
structure for a particular purpose.

The right composites also stand up well to heat and corrosion. This makes them ideal for use
in products that are exposed to extreme environments such as boats, chemical-handling
equipment and spacecraft. In general, composite materials are very durable.

Advantage of Composite Material

 High Strength-to-weight ratio

 Corrosion Resistance

 Wear Resistance

 Stiffness

 Fatigue Life

 Temperature Dependent Behaviour

 Thermal Insulation

 Thermal Conductivity

 Acoustical Insulation

 Low-Electrical Conductivity

 Visual Attractiveness

 Radio Translucent
Disadvantage of Composite Material

 High Manufacturing Costs

 Lack of The Visual Proof of Damage
 Lack of Mechanical Versatility
 Production Difficulty

Application of Composite Material

Composites are one of the most widely used materials because of their adaptability to
different situations and the relative ease of combination with other materials to serve specific
purposes and exhibit desirable properties.

In surface transportation, reinforced plastics are the kind of composites used because of their
huge size. They provide ample scope and receptiveness to design changes, materials and
processes. The strength-weight ratio is higher than other materials. Their stiffness and cost
effectiveness offered, apart from easy availability of raw materials, make them the obvious
choice for applications in surface transportation.

In manufacturing of automobile parts, glass and sisal fibers usually find the maximum use.
Sisal costs very less and this alone has prompted extensive research to come up with
applications in which sisal is the dominant reinforcing material in filled polyester resin, in
parts where specific mechanical properties are required and appearance is not very important.
Heater housings, which find uses for sisal, are produced by compression moulding. Since a
variety of glass fibers are available, it is used as reinforcement for a large range of parts of
different types. Rovings, non-woven mats are the commonly used low cost versions. Woven
cloth is applied in special cases, where particular properties are required as cloth is not known
to be amenable to large quantity production methods.

Since the automobile industry is replete with models, options and changes in trends, the
material selection and combinations offered by the materials is also wide-ranging. Along with
a measure of conservation, the choice is also dictated by the demands of the competitive
market for new and alternate materials.
Commercial aircraft applications are the most important uses of composites. Aircraft, unlike
other vehicles, need to lay greater stress on safety and weight. They are achieved by using
materials with high specific properties. A modern civil aircraft must be so designed as to meet
the numerous criteria of power and safety.

Carbon composite material

2.0 Problem Statement

Design and fabricate a composite plate by using any materials comprising of more than 8 plies
(8 layers). As the term “composite materials” are described, the composite plate should
comprise of more than 2 types of materials [any materials, ranging from wood piece, natural
fibers, recycle materials, etc.]. Thickness of each ply [each layer] should be not more than
0.25 mm and composite plate should not be larger than 2 mm.
3.0 Literature review

Zawawi Ibrahim, Astimar Abdul Aziz, Ridzuan Ramli, Anis Mokhtar, and SiJoon Lee have
done a research on composite material made of oil palm trunk. They studied the Effect of
Refining Parameters on Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) Properties from Oil Palm Trunk.
The properties of medium density fibreboard (MDF) made from oil palm trunk (OPT) as
affected by refining pressure and preheating time were investigated. The OPT chips were
refined in the MDF pilot plant by using four refining pressures (2, 4, 6 and 8 bar) and four
different preheating time (100, 200, 300 and 400 seconds). The refined fibres were blended
with 10% of urea formaldehyde with a board target density of 720 kg/m 3. MDF boards
were evaluated based on European Standard EN 622-5:2006 for thickness swelling (TS),
internal bonding (IB), modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE). Analysis
of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the significance of the factors. The results from
this study indicated that refining pressure and preheating time are significant factors for all
MDF properties. Low refining pressure and preheating time produced higher TS, lower MOR
and MOE with poor bonding than those boards prepared from fibres refined at higher refining
pressure and longer preheating time. OPT fibre treated with 8 bar produced good swelling
resistance but detrimental on mechanical properties of the finish board. 6 bar steam pressure
offered the highest value of mechanical properties (MOE, MOR and IB). Boards from
intermediate refining condition (6 bar and 300 seconds) were found the better board properties
having 14.58%, 0.73 N/mm2, 38 N/mm2 and 3597 N/mm2 for TS, IB, MOR and MOE
respectively.
F. Ernesto Penado states in his journal F. Penado, "Effective Elastic Properties of Honeycomb
Core with Fiber-Reinforced Composite Cells," Open Journal of Composite Materials, Vol. 3
No. 4, 2013, pp. 89-96. doi: 10.4236/ojcm.2013.34009 that:

" Sandwich construction incorporating a honeycomb cellular core offers the attainment of
structures that are very stiff and strong in bending while the weight is kept at a
minimum. Generally, an aluminum or Nomex honeycomb core is used in applications
requiring sandwich construction with fiber-reinforced composite facesheets. However, the use
of a fiber-reinforced composite core offers the potential for even lower weight, increased
stiffness and strength, low thermal distortion compatible with that of the facesheets, the
absence of galvanic corrosion and the ability to readily modify the core properties to suit
specialized needs. Furthermore, the material of the core itself will exhibit anisotropic material
properties in this case. In order to design, analyze and optimize these structures, knowledge of
the effective mechanical properties of the core is essential. In this paper, the effective three-
dimensional mechanical properties of a composite hexagonal cell core are determined using a
numerical method based on a finite element analysis of a representative unit cell. In particular,
the geometry of the simplest repeating unit of the core as well as the appropriate loading and
boundary conditions that must be applied is presented."
CORROSION BEHAVIOUR OF ZINC and ALUMINIUM ALLOY BASED ON
METALMATRIX COMPOSITES:
 As it was stated earlier, among the zinc-based foundry alloys used as matrix materials,
the ZA family of alloys has been particularly popular. These alloys have some advantages
over aluminium–based alloys, namely high strength and low casting temperatures, and have
been used for lower cost replacements of bronze and brass castings /3, 4/. ZA-27 alloy, in
particular, has been used in bearings and bushing applications as a replacement for bronze
bearings because of the lower cost and equivalent or superior bearing performance.

All the zinc-aluminium alloys have excellent resistance to corrosion in a variety of

environments. Aluminium and zinc-aluminium based metal matrix composites can provide
excellent resistance to both sliding wear and abrasion. The selection of matrix metal and
reinforcing phase is generally based on the achieving of desired composite properties, while
the interaction between produced MMC and its environment is usually of secondary
importance.

Materials Numerical Simulation of Mixed-Mode Progressive Delamination in Composite

Inter laminar damage (delamination ) is one of the predominant forms of failure in

many laminated composites systems, especially when there is no reinforcement in the
thickness direction. The result impact of delamination we can see from manufacturing defect
that can causes a significant reduction in the compressive load-carrying capacity of a
structure. The stress gradients that occur near geometric discontinuities such as ply drop-offs,
stiffener terminations and flanges, bonded and bolted joints, and access holes promote
delamination initiation, trigger in traply damage mechanisms, and may cause a significant loss
of structural integrity.

Besides, The fracture process in high performance composite laminates is quite

complex, involving not only delamination, but also intra laminar damage mechanisms for
example fibre fracture, transverse matrix cracking and etc. Failure analysis tools for the
different failures modes are required to get effective predictive capabilities. The simulation of
delamination in composites is usually divided into delamination initiation and delamination
propagation. Proposal that provided by Whitney and Nuismer for notched laminates tell us
that delamination initiation analyses are usually based on the point or average stress criteria.
However, Kim and Soni proposed used the average stress failure criterion to predict the
delamination onset load in carbon fibre reinforced plastics under in-plane tensile and
compressive loading, in which the tensile inter laminar normal stress, δ zz, is predominant.
Perhaps, good arrangement between the predictions and the experimental results were
obtained using one ply thickness as the characteristic distance. When the inter laminar shear
stresses,δ xz and δ yz , are also present, criteria such as the quadratic interaction of the inter
laminar stresses in conjunction with a characteristic distance are normally used.

Most analyses of delamination growth are based on the Fracture Mechanics approach,
and evaluate the energy release rate. Variational methods have been used by Schoeppner and
Pagano tell us how to describe stress fields in the vicinity of cracks, and to obtain accurate
predictions of the energy release rate for cross-ply laminates. On the other side, Sun and Jih
have investigated Modes I and II energy release rates for inter facial cracks between
dissimilar isotropic solids. The energy release rate approach was later extended by Sun and
Manoharan to analyse interfacial cracks between two orthotropic solids.

The use of decohesion elements placed at the interfaces between laminae can
overcome some of the above difficulties. Decohesion elements are based on a Dudgale–
Barenblatt cohesive zone approach , which can be related to Griffith’s theory of fracture when
the cohesive zone size is negligible when compared with characteristic dimensions, regardless
of the constitutive equation. These elements use failure criteria that combine aspects of
strength-based analysis to predict the onset of the softening process at the interface between
laminate, and Fracture Mechanics to predict delamination propagation. The main advantage of
the use of decohesion elements is the capability to predict both onset and propagation of
delamination without previous knowledge of the crack location and propagation direction.
Therefore, non-self-similar delamination growth, where the delamination front changes its
shape throughout the loading history, can be predicted.

Decohesion elements can be divided into two main groups which is continuous
interface elements and point decohesion elements. Different types of continuous decohesion
elements have been proposed. Firstly, ranging from zero-thickness volumetric elements
connecting solid elements. Secondly, finite-thickness volumetric elements connecting shell
elements and finally, line elements. From the observation that had been conducted, common
feature of most of the previously developed decohesion elements is the absence of an
interaction criterion for the prediction of softening onset under mixed-mode loading, and the
use of linear or quadratic interaction criteria of the energy release rate components for the
prediction of delamination propagation. However, experimental evidence shows that for some
resins, example, epoxies which has linear or quadratic interaction criteria are unable to
express the dependence of the fracture toughness on the mode ratio. Under mixed-mode
loading conditions, the propagation of delamination should be predicted using physically
sound criteria, able to predict the variation of the mixed-mode fracture toughness as a function
of the mode ratio.
4.0 Methodology

4.1 Materials and Size

1. Aluminium (70GPa)

Aluminium is a chemical element in the boron group with symbol Al and atomic number 13.
It is a silvery white, soft, ductile metal. Aluminium is the third most abundant element, and
the most abundant metal, in the Earth's crust. It makes up about 8% by weight of the Earth's
solid surface. Aluminium metal is so chemically reactive that native specimens are rare and
limited to extreme reducing environments. Instead, it is found combined in over 270 different
minerals.

Aluminium is ductile which permits it to be permanently drawn, bent, or twisted into various
shapes without breaking. This property is essential for metals used in making wire and tubing.
Ductile metals are greatly preferred for aircraft use because of their ease of forming and
resistance to failure under shock loads. For this reason, aluminium alloys are used for cowl
rings; fuselage and wing skin, and formed or extruded parts, such as ribs, spars, and
bulkheads.

Aluminium is remarkable for the metals low density and for its ability to resist corrosion due
to the phenomenon of passivation. Structural components made from aluminium and its alloys
are vital to the aerospace industry and are important in other areas of transportation and
structural materials. The most useful compounds of aluminium, at least on a weight basis, are
the oxides and sulfates.

Figure shows the stress and the strain of the aluminium

2. Laminate sheet properties

Laminate Composition: Decorative surface papers impregnated with melamine resins
and pressed over kraft paper core sheets impregnated with phenolic resin. Sheets then
bonded together under pressures greater than 1,000 lbs. per sq. in. and high
temperatures approaching 300 deg F (149 deg C). Finished sheets trimmed and backs
sanded to facilitate bonding to substrate.
 Surface Burning Characteristics:

1. Test Standards: ASTM E 84, ASTM E 162, ASTM E 662, IMO FTP Code Part
2 and Part 5, and UL 723.
2. Interior Finish Classification, Fire-Rated Laminate: Class A according to
NFPA 101. Flame spread less than 25 and Smoke Developed less than 450.

Enhanced Laminate Performance: Fabricate laminate with AEON™ Enhanced

Performance Technology for increased surface wear resistance and surface abrasion.

Sheet Thickness: 0.048 inch nominal

3. Zinc (105 GPa)

Zinc in commerce is also can called as spelter, which is a metallic chemical element that has
the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element of group 12 of the periodic table.
Zinc also in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium. It is because ions is similar of
size. For the mean time, it is common oxidation state is only +2. As we know, zinc has five
stable isotopes and it is 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust.
The strength of Zinc is relatively low, and their tendency to creep makes them unsuitable for
use at temperatures above 100C. It is also has very low wall thicknesses are achievable and
the surface hardly requires any after-treatment. However, zinc offers a good corrosion
resistance, especially against rain. Zinc has the rigidity of metals with modulus of elasticity
characteristics equivalent to other die cast able materials. Stiffness properties are, therefore,
far superior to engineering plastics.

The graph of the zinc (105GPa) - stress against Strain

Epoxy Glue
What’s Epoxy used for?

Epoxies are used primarily for fabricating high performance composites with superior
mechanical properties, resistance to corrosive liquids and environments, superior electrical
properties, good performance at elevated temperatures, good adhesion to a substrate, or a
combination of these benefits. It has good UV resistance. Since the viscosity of epoxy is much
higher than most polyester resin, requires a post-cure(elevated heat) to obtain ultimate
mechanical properties making epoxies more difficult to use. However, epoxies emit little odor
as compared to polyester.

Epoxy resins are used with a number of fibrous reinforcing materials, including glass, carbon
and aramid. This latter group is of small in volume, comparatively high cost than vinyl esters
and is usually used to meet high strength or high stiffness requirements. Besides it, the
disadvantages of resin are critical mixing and corrosive handling.
Types of composites:

As it’s mentioned in definition, a composite material consists of two or more distinct phases.
The term phase indicates a homogenous material, such as metal or ceramic in which all of the
grains have the same crystal structures, or a polymer with no fillers. By combining the phase,
using methods yet to be described, a new material is created with aggregate performance
exceeding that of its parts. The effect is synergistic.

Composite materials can be classified in various ways.

a) Natural composites

These composites are those that occur in nature or have been produced by civilizations
for many years. Woods is a naturally occurring composite material, while concrete and
asphalt mixed with gravel are traditional composites used in construction.

b) Synthetic composites

These composite are modern material systems normally associated with the
manufacturing industries, in which the components are first produce separately and
 then combined in a controlled way to achieve the desired structure, properties, and part
geometry. These synthetic materials are the composites normally thought of the
context of engineered products.

A composite material was originally considered to be a combination of two materials

but now this class of material is regarded as any combination which has particular
physical and mechanical properties. The concept of composite materials has led to the
design and manufacture of a new range of structural materials that are generally
lighter, stiffer and stronger than anything that have been manufactured.

-Advantages of composite materials:

The main advantage of most composites materials are in the weight savings. A quick
way to illustrate this advantage is in the strength to weight ratio. A different material
has different strength that is each material can take different of amount of load for the
same volume (cross sectional area) of the material. For a given design, the material
used must be strong enough to withstand the load that’s to be applied. If a material
selected is not strong enough, the part must be enlarged to increases the load bearing
capacity. But doing so increases the bulk and weight of the part. Another option is to
change material to one that has enough strength to begin with:

i. Composite have high stiffness, strength, and toughness, often comparable with
structural metal alloys. Further, they usually provide these properties at
substantially less weight than metals: their specific strength and modulus per
unit weight is near five times that of steel or aluminum. This means the overall
structure may be lighter, and in weight-critical devices such as airplanes or
spacecraft this weight savings might be a compelling advantage.
 ii. Composite do not trust as do many ferrous alloys, and resistance to this
common form of environmental degradation may offer better life-cycle cost
even if the original structure is initially more costly.
iii. Materials can exhibit damping, in which a certain fraction of the mechanical
strain energy deposited in the material by a loading cycle is dissipated as heat.
This can be advantageous, for instance in controlling mechanically-induced
vibrations. Composites generally offer relatively high levels of damping, and
furthermore the damping can often be tailored to desired levels by suitable
formulation and processing.

Tensile Test:

Tensile test measure the force required to break a specimen and extend to which the
specimen stretches or elongates to that breaking point. Tensile test produce a stress-
strain diagram. This is used to determine the tensile modulus. The data is often to
specify a material. Since the physical properties of many materials espically
thermoplastic can vary depending on ambient temperature, it is sometimes appropriate
to test materials at temperature that simulate the intended end user environment.

For polymer or plastic materials, the tensile test according to standard of ASTM D638
The tensile test measure the strength of material is resisting pulled apart. Specimen
samples for this test compliance to ASTM D638 or ISO 527-1. Both ends of the
specimen are firmly clamped in the jaws of the testing machine, a force (stress) is
applied at one, pulling the sample from both ends. Gauge marks, small lines or points
drawn one inch apart at the specimen. The more accurate elongation of the specimen is
measured by the use of extensometer (strain gauge) attached to the center of the
specimen that electronically graphs change in length in relation to force applied.
 Both are plotted on a graph reflecting a stress-strain diagram. Normally this procedure
is completed automatically by the tensile testing machine.

-Standard tensile test specimens

-Data that’s used for the analysis of the test:

a) Strength calculation (MPa or MN/m2 )

Tensile strength (TS)= Max load/Area =P/A

b) Stress calculation (N/m2)

Stress=σ=Force/Cross section = F/A

c) Strain calculation

Strain,ε= Amount of specimen stretch/Original length =ΔL/L

d) Young Modulus is the slope of stress-strain graph (GPa)

Young Modulus, E=stress σ/strain ε

-Equipment for Tensile Test

The experimental tensile strength and ultimate elongation testing performed by using
Universal Testing Machine, with according to the ASTM D638. An extensometer used to
determine elongation and tensile modulus. The model of the machine is Shidmazu AG-1
10KN. This machine is computerized equipment. Result calculated by the software in
computer and transformed the data into graph stress versus strain.

-Tensile Specimen Size (ASTM D638)

According to (ASTM D638) for tensile test, the specimen size is length
200mm×width2mm×thickness2mm

-Tensile Test Procedure

Specimen was placed in the grips of the Universal Testing Machine at a specified grip
separation and pulled until failure. The steps for this testing were as mentioned below:
 1) Computer of Universal Testing Machine is switch on.
2) A new opened in the related software.
3) Specimen was locked tightly between the grips.
4) The control panel set according to size and speed, then the testing is started.
5) Specimen is applied extensive load until specimen fail.
6) A result of the testing is recorded in the computer.

4.1 Cost of the Composite Materials

Aluminium = 400 g x RM 2.40

Zinc = 1 plate x RM15.00
Plastic Laminate = 1 plate x RM0
Epoxy Glue = 1 x RM5.60

Total Cost = RM23.00

4.2 Time Management

Week 8

- We have discussed among our group about what material that we would to choose to
combine. The materials that we choose is aluminum, zinc and laminate and box paper.
- We asked permission for using Solid Mechanics Laboratory and send formal letter to the
Technical Assistant in the Laboratory
- We bought the materials in Batu Pahat.

Week 9

- We bought the material around Batu Pahat which is zinc, epoxy glue and aluminium.
- Some materials are taken from deposit materials.
- We combined the material according to the specimen requirement.
Week 10

-We had tested our new specimen by using new composite materials which zinc and
aluminium and finally we got 11.1 GPa and the thickness of the composite materials is
2mm.
- We started to do the report.

Week 11
- We discussed among our group about improvement that we can do for next specimen and
start to do the report.
- We divided task each member of the groups to complete the report:
 Introduction
 Objectives of the project
 Methodology
 Data analysis
 Discussion and recommendation
 Conclusion Appendixes

Week 12
- We collect the entire task that we already discussed and compile it to make full report.

Week 13
- We have to send to the report and the specimen as the proved that we already make the
experiment.

Obstacles that have faced during our project

All along our journey trying to get a perfect composite material with a specific
modulus of elasticity, length, and width we have faced some obstacles that have made it a bit
difficult to reach our target easily. Starting with the most common one which is trying to get
the suitable material that after combining and testing it can reach 10Gpa then the number of
layers with different thicknesses, since most of the materials in market are above 0.5mm and
it’s required from us to use for one layer 0.25mm that need to be compressed after putting it
above each other after that getting the glue which will hold the layers strongly without
keeping any bubbles between the layers and make it stand as one strong layer coming to the
most critical part of our project which is TESTING after trying to do the first specimen with
full hope of succeeding using steel, fabric glass and combining Epoxy glue the result
surprised us by getting 3GPA as our modulus of elasticity, so we tried to put more effort in
buying strong materials, using the suitable glue and perfect arrangement of layers in which
will help to increase our modulus of elasticity.

We have used ZINC and ALUMINUIM in our second experiment and by that we have gone
to our next step after failing in the first experiment so we have made three specimen using
ZINC and ALUMINUIM for the first specimen we have used 8 layers of ZINC each layer is
0.25, second and third specimen are by using 4 ZINC and 4 ALUMINIUM with 0.25 width
and the result ended by failing the first one getting 8GPA and succeeding in the other two by
getting 11.6 as our modulus of elasticity and eventually we have managed to reach our target
hopefully.
5.0 Procedure

Design

1. Firstly, we measured the thickness of the material which is aluminium and zinc by using
vernier caliper and make sure that the thickness of the material is 0.25mm.
2. Secondly, we marked the area of the material by marker pen according to the length and the
width that had been given which is 200mm and 20mm.

3. Then, we cut the materials carefully by using scissors according to the marked to prevent
the area of the material obey to the specimen requirement.
4. After we cut the materials, we rub the material by using sandpaper which has 0.5mm
thickness to make sure that the surface of the material smooth.
5. After we rub the materials, we glued to the material alternating until it has 8 layers by using
epoxy glue.
6. During we glued the material; make sure that the glue covers all the area of the material to
prevent porosity on the material which can reduce the strength of the materials.
7. After we finished glue it, let it dry for 8 hours to ensure that the material is truly strong
bond enough before we test it.
Testing of the Specimen

1. The technical assistant of the laboratory was loosening the tensile machine to put the
composite material in it.

2. We put the composite materials in the Universal Tensile Machine and tighten it.

3. Next, we test the tensile strength of the composite material and with it until it comes to
break.

4. The data was collected and we analysis the data according to the graph shown below.
Results and Discussions

6.0 Data Analysis

Elastic Behavior

Elastic limit

Plastic behavior

Fracture point

Figure 6.0

The graph shown in figure 6.0 is a relation of stress and strain of our specimen that has an
area of 40 mm2, the y-axis is the stress which was applied to the specimen by the machine and
x-axis determines the elongation of our model.

At the starting of tensile testing the specimen was showing some elastic behavior until the
strain became 4.2, that is it elastic limit, as shown in the figure. After elastic limit there was a
plastic state in which the specimen did not show any elasticity, and around 4.9 the specimen
was broken, which is considered to be its fracture point. The maximum stress gained from this
graph is in between 380MPa and 400MPa, given that the maximum load was applied.
6.1 Maximum load

To find out how much was the load applied on the specimen. In this case we have:

ῦ = 380 MPa-400MPa

So,

(380+400)/2 = 390 x 106Pa [approximate value of stress gained from graph]

Area of specimen is: 0.200m x0.020m = 0.004m2

Then the total force can be obtained by:

ῦ = F/A

Where,

ῦ =>Stress

F=> force applied

A=> area of specimen

F=Aῦ

= 0.004 x 390 x106

= 1560 kN [approximate force applied to the specimen by the universal testing machine]

6.2 Stiffness

Stiffness can be defined as the rigidity of a material or the extent to which it

resists deformation in response to an applied force. The complementary concept is
flexibility or pliability, the more flexible an object is, the less stiff it is.
To calculate the stiffness of our specimen we have:

Ḱ=AE/L , E = ῦ/ὲ

where,

Ḱ=> stiffness of an object

A=>cross sectional area of the object

E=> modulus of Elasticity

L => length of object

ῦ=> stress

ὲ => strain

Solution:

First we need to find out what is "E", therefore from the graph we can find out ῦ & ὲ:

ῦ=> 195MPa - 125MPa => 70MPa

ὲ=> 2.16% - 1.58% => 0.6%

and E=> 70 x 106 /0.6(1/100)

E= 11.6 x 109 Pa or 11.6 GPa

so,

Ḱ= (0.002x0.020) (11.6 x109) / 0.200

= 2,320,000 N/m

or Ḱ= 2,320 kN/m [stiffness of the plate]

7.0 Capacity of plate versus costing

Capacity of the plates we have cut through layers each one aluminum and zinc.

The size of each one is 200mm length and 20mm width.

Each layer was 0.25mm in its thickness so totally it become 8*0.25mm so it will become 8
layers.

12

10

0
alumunium zinc epoxy glue

Figure 7.0 Materials vs. cost in RM

18000

16000

14000

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0
alumunium zinc

Figure 7.1: Materials vs. capacity of material load in Newton

Material selection with the result of test

First of all we selected three materials; zinc, aluminum, and epoxy glue, after careful
consideration we decided that these two materials can easily fulfill our requirement.

The reasons that we chose these materials are because they are easily available everywhere
around the market and cheapest among strong materials.

We tried to find out some other materials like titanium and some other strong metals but we
could not find it easily. Everything came by calculation, before we selected we searched the
elastic modulus of aluminum and zinc respectively are 70GPa and 108GPa so we have
decided that they will give us both more elastic modulus approximately about 20 GPa .at last
we have got more than 11 GPa.

So we can say that the best materials to choose to make good strength of composite materials
especially are aluminum and zinc because they are important for building purposes, and used
anti-corrosion agent.

8.0 Conclusion
We learnt how to applied Composite Materials into different materials and how to identify
the problems that limit the performance and reliability of the composite material and
composite part; and propose solutions that lead to innovation in design and the successful
exploitation and commercialization of composite materials across the widest spectrum of
engineering uses. The main focus is on the quantitative descriptions of material systems and
processing routes. Coverage includes management of time

Composites have properties, which could not be achieved by either of the constituent
materials alone. We can see that composites are becoming more and more important as it can
help to improve our quality of life. Composites are put into service in flight vehicles,
automobiles, boats, pipelines, buildings, roads, bridges, and dozens of other products.
Researchers are finding ways to improve other qualities of composites so they may be strong,
lightweight, long-lived, and inexpensive to produce

Although composite materials have certain advantages over conventional materials,

composites also have some disadvantages. The common one is the high manufacturing costs.
However, as improved manufacturing techniques are developed, it will become possible to
produce composite materials at higher volumes and at a lower cost than is now possible.

Another advantage of composite materials is that they provide design flexibility. Composites
can be moulded into complex shapes, a great asset when producing something like a surfboard
or a boat hull.

Also we learnt that the right composites also stand up well to heat and corrosion. This makes
them ideal for use in products that are exposed to extreme environments such as boats,
chemical-handling equipment and spacecraft. In general, composite materials are very
durable.

The downside of composites is usually the cost. Although manufacturing processes are often
more efficient when composites are used, the raw materials are expensive. Composites will
never totally replace traditional materials like steel, but in many cases they are just what we
need. And no doubt new uses will be found as the technology evolves. We haven’t yet seen all
that composites can do.

Condition for manufacturing composites

Successfully manufacturing a composite requires the correct combination of temperature,
pressure, and curing time. To find the best process for each specific material, several curing
processes are tried and the resultant materials tested. Now we can design our own composite: 
Plan the materials that you need to make your own composite, Prepare the materials that you
need and build the composite, devise testing measures to evaluate you own composite, test the
composite and redesign your own composite to improve its performance.

Example:
We can use aluminium foil, superglue and cotton wool to make a composite, and then test the
strength.

Our most advantage of this project is we learnt how much important is epoxy so what is
epoxy? Epoxy is a liquid resin which is cured by the addition of a curing agent at room or
higher temperature conditions. Epoxy resins have a wide range of properties. They can be
rigid or flexible with different temperature resistance, with some able to withstand continuous
use up to 250°C. Advantages of epoxy resins over polyester and vinyl ester resins include
lower mould shrinkage, low volatility during curing, good environmental and solvent
resistance, and very good adhesion to most reinforcement materials. They are widely used in
structural aerospace applications.

The use of composite materials has come a long way from mixing mud and straw to make
adobe bricks for primitive houses. New techniques, materials and the uses for them are
limited only by the imagination of engineers who develop concepts for their uses. Often, in
the history of composites, the engineers come up with designs that need materials that haven't
yet been invented. They were referred to in engineering circles as "unobtainium." However, in
many cases, unobtainium became obtainable and are used in such diverse industries as home
construction, aviation, ship building, cars and boats, bridge repair, diesel engines and even
ballistics protection.

The uses of Aluminimum

Aluminium is the second-most used metal after steel, largely because it is so versatile. In the
United States, the aluminium industry manufactures about $40 billion in products each year.
Aluminium’s biggest market traditionally has been the automotive industry. Using aluminium
for car parts such as cylinder heads, pistons, radiators and wheel rims makes cars lighter,
which reduces fuel consumption and pollution levels. Important product sectors using
aluminium include:

Uses of Zinc Today:

 Zinc is currently the fourth most widely consumed metal in the world after iron, aluminium,
and copper. It has strong anticorrosive properties and bonds well with other metals.
Consequently, about one-half of the zinc that is produced is used in zinc galvanizing, which is
the process of adding thin layers of zinc to iron or steel to prevent rusting. 

The next leading use of zinc is as an alloy; the zinc is combined with copper (to form brass)
and with other metals to form materials that are used in automobiles, electrical components,
and household fixtures. A third significant use of zinc is in the production of zinc oxide (the
most important zinc chemical by production volume), which is used in rubber manufacturing
and as a protective skin ointment. 

Zinc is also important for health. It is a necessary element for the proper growth and
development of humans, animals, and plants. The adult human body contains between 2 and 3
grams of zinc, which is the amount needed for the body's enzymes and immune system to
function properly. It is also important for taste, smell, and to heal wounds. Trace amounts of
zinc occur in many foods, such as oysters, beef, and peanuts.

Due to their higher strength-to-weight ratios, composite materials have an advantage over
conventional metallic materials; although, currently it is expensive to fabricate composites.
Until techniques are introduced to reduce initial implementation costs and address the issue of
non-biodegradability of current composites, this relatively new material will not be able to
completely replace traditional metallic alloys

References
1. Z. Ibrahim, A. Aziz, R. Ramli, A. Mokhtar and S. Lee, "Effect of Refining Parameters on
Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) Properties from Oil Palm Trunk," Open Journal of
Composite Materials, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2013, pp. 127-131. doi: 10.4236/ojcm.2013.34013.

2. R. Atkinson, “Innovative Uses for Sandwich Constructions,” Reinforced Plastics, Vol. 41,
No. 2, 1997, pp. 30-33.

3. T.W. Clyne and P.J. Withers, An Introductionto Metal Matrix Composites, Ed., Cambridge
Solid State Science Series, Cambridge
University Press, 1993.

4.http://www.ncsu.edu/bioresources/BioRes_09/BioRes_09_2_2372_Nayeri_TJHABN_MDF
_Kenaf_Stem_Thermo-mech_Refining_Resin_Content_5041.pdf