594 Material Science

There are many reasons for making composites: the incorporation of fibres into brittle ceramics produces
a composite of enhanced toughness. Fillers, such as the presence of aggregate in concrete, reduce the overall
cost of the product, and additionally improve the compressive strength. The second phase may furthermore
be a gas, as in the manufacture of foamed products of low density.
On the basis of strength and stiffness alone fibre reinforced composite materials may not be superior to
metals of comparable strength, but when the specific modulus (i.e. modulus per unit weight) and specific
strength are considered, then their use implies that the weight of components can be reduced. This is an
important factor in all forms of transport, where reductions of weight result in greater energy savings.
In order to produce a new generation of extraordinary materials, scientists and engineers while designing
composite materials, have ingeniously combined various metals, ceramics, and polymers.
One can classify composite materials as per simple scheme shown in Fig. 18.1. There are three main
divisions: particle reinforced, fibre-reinforced, and structural composites. We note that there exist atleast
two subdivisions for each main division.

Composites

Particle reinforced Fibre reinforced Structural

Large Dispersion Continuous Discontinous Laminates Sandwitch

particle strengthened (aligned) (short) panels

Aligned Randomly oriented

Fig. 18.1 A simple classification schemes for the various composite types

The dispersed phase for particle-reinforced composites is equiaxed (i.e., particle dimensions are approxi-
mately the same in all directions) and the dispersed phase for fibre-reinforced composites has the geometry
of a fibre-reinforced composites has the geometry of a fibre. (i.e., a large-length-to-diameter ratio). Struc-
tural composites are combinations of composites and homogeneous materials.
Examples of these three groups include concrete, a mixture of cement and aggregate, which is a particu-
late composite; fibre glass, a mixture of glass fibres imbedded in a resin matrix, which is a fibre composite;
and plywood, alternating layers of laminate veneers, which is a laminate composite. These are discussed
in detail in section 3.

2. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
(i) Composite materials are superior to all other known structural materials in specific strength and
stiffness, high temperature strength, fatigue strength and other properties. The desired combination of
properties can be tailored in advance and realized in the manufacture of a particular material. More-
over, the material can be shaped in this process as close as possible to the form of final products or
even structural units.
(ii) Composite materials are complex materials whose components differ strongly from each other in the
properties, are mutually insoluble or only slightly soluble and divided by distinct boundaries.
(iii) The principle of manufacture of composites has been borrowed from nature. Trunks and stems of
plants and bones of man and animals are examples of natural composites. In wood, cellulose fibres
are bonded by plastic lignin, in bones, thin and strong fibres of phosphates are bonded by plastic
collagen.