Introduction

Introduction
Unit-1
Classification:

According to the Matrix composites:

• (i) Polymer composites

• (ii) Ceramic composites

• (iii) Metal Matrix Composite

According to shape of reinforcement:

• (i) Fibre

• (ii) Laminate

• (iii) Particulate

 In composite, the matrix phase serves important function. First it binds the
reinforcement(fibers) together.

 It acts as a medium and transmits and distributes the external loads to the fibers.

 The second function of the matrix is to protect the individual fibers from the surface
damage due to mechanical abrasion or chemical reaction with the environment.

 This prevents from surface flaws capable of forming cracks which may results in
failure.

 Finally the matrix separates the fibers. Due to its relative softness and plasticity, it
prevents the propagation of brittle cracks from fiber to fiber which may result in
catastrophic failure.

 One of the major factors while selecting the matrix fiber combination is the bonding
strength between them.

Polymer – matrix Composites (PMC):

• PMC consists as Polymer resin as the matrix material

• Resin is used in this content to denote a high molecular weight reinforcing plastic

• These materials are used as matrix materials in great diversity of composite

applications, as well as in large quantities because of their excellent properties in
room temperature, ease of fabrication, highly economical cost.

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• Thermoplastic polymers and thermosetting polymers are both extensively as matrix

materials.

Thermo Plastic Polymer Thermosetting Polymer

1. Soften when heated and harden when cooled. 1. Permanently hard when heated.

2. Soft & ductile 2. Hard & brittle

3. Suitable only for low temperature 3. Suitable for only low & high

temperature

4. Ex: Nylon, Polyethylene, Polystryene, Vinul Ex: Epoxide, Phenolics, Polyster

5. Applications: Toys, bearings, flexible bottle, 5.Applications: Motor housings, telephones,

safety helmet, TV cabinet, Ice tray helmets,

Ceramics Composite:

• Ceramics materials are very well known for their high temperature application as well
as their resistance to oxidation.

• But they are very brittle which limits their application.

• Ex: Silicon nitride, silicon carbide, alumina, zirconiumdioxide.

Applications

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• Heat shield systems for space vehicles

• Components for high-temperature gas turbines such as combustion chambers, stator

vanes and turbine blades.

• Components for burners, flame holders, and hot gas ducts.

• Brake disks and brake system components, which experience extreme thermal shock.

Metal Matrix Composite (MMC):

• Metals/ alloys are used as matrix materials.

• Metals are usually ductile in nature and are reinforced with strong and low density
materials of shapes.

• MMC is a non flammability, greater resistance by organic fluid, cost is high and
compare to PMC and can also be used in higher operating temperature.

• Al, Mg, Ti, Cu are Matrix material

• Al alloy matrix reinforced with alumina and carbon fibers used in automobile as
engine components.

Application:

• Used in some automotive disc brakes.

• Ford offers a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) driveshaft.

• Honda has used aluminum metal matrix composite cylinder liners in some of their
engines.

• Specialized Bicycles has used aluminum MMC compounds for its top of the
range bicycle frames for several years

Classification of Composite materials

According to the shape of reinforcement

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Composites

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

Large- Dispersion- Continuous Discontinuous Laminates Sandwich

particle strengthened (aligned) (short) panels

Aligned Randomly
oriented

According to the shape of reinforcement:

Fibre reinforced composite:

• Fibre reinforced composite are those where the reinforcement in the form of fibre.

• It has high specific strength & high specific modules

• Large solid bodies have large distribution of defects in them than solid bodies of
smaller sizes. It is for the reason that materials in fibre form have better properties
than in their bulk form because of fewer defects in them.

• It can be employed all three types of matrices i.e., plastic, ceramic, metal.

• Usually fibre reinforced composite contains high strength and low density fibre in a
ductile materials

• This combination as a composite can have reasonable strength and good toughness
and can still have low density.

• The matrix bind the fibers together and protect them from mechanical and chemical
damage.

• The strength of the fibre reinforced composite is determined by the strength of the
fibre and the strength of the bond between the fibre and the matrix.

• Critical fiber length (Lc)= σf d/τc

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Where, d is the fibre diameter

σf is the Ultimate strength

τc is the fiber matrix bond strength (yield strength)

Basis of diameter & character, fiber can be grouped in to 3 classifications.

• Fiber, Wire, Whisker.

• Wire (Continuous fiber) is long continuous fiber embedded in a matrix material.

Materials of wire include steel, molybdenum and tungsten.

• Ex: radial tyres: it consists continuous steel wires embedded in order to strengthen the
tyre.

• Whisker is thin single crystal that has large length to diameter ratio. Structure is high.
Whiskers material includes graphite, silicon carbide, silicon nitride and aluminum
oxide.

• Fiber (particles) is either polycrystalline or amorphous materials having small

diameters. Some common fibers used are glass, carbon, boron, aluminium oxide etc.

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Properties of fiber:

• A fiber is characterized geometrically not only by its very high strength to diameter
ratio but by its near crystal sized diameter.

• Strength and stiffness of few selected fiber materials are arranged in the table.

• The common structural materials, aluminium, titanium and steel are listed for
comparison.

• Graphite and carbon fibers are high interest in today's composite structures. Both are
made up of rayon or pitch material that are heated in a inert atmosphere like argon and
nitrogen to about 1700 O C to carbonize the fiber this is know as carbonization.

• To get graphite fibers heating exceeds more than 1700 O C to about 2000-3000 O C
this is know are graphitization.
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Properties of whiskers:

• A whisker as essentially the same near sized diameter as the fiber generally very short
and stubby, although the length to diameter ratio can be hundreds.

• A whisker is even more perfect than fiber and therefore exhibits even more higher
properties than fiber.

• Whiskers are by crystallization on a very small scale resulting in a very nearly perfect
alignment of crystals.

• Material like iron have crystalline structure with a theoretical strength of 20GPa, yet
commercially available structural steel which is mainly iron have strength ranging
from 570 to 690Gpa.

• The difference between theoretical and actual strength is caused by imperfections in a

crystalline structure of steel.

• Those imperfections are dislocation and easily moved for ductile material.

• For a perfect whisker, a few dislocation occurs.

• Those whiskers of iron have significantly higher strength than in steel.

Laminated Composites:

• Laminated composite are composed of layers of reinforcement materials held together

by matrix. Sandwich structure fall under this category.

• In fibre reinforcement composite if the fibres are of uniform alignment, the composite
shows anisotropic property. I.e, Different properties along the directions.

• If layers of such composites are stacked and bonded together in such a way that
successive layers have their fibers aligned in different directions, so the composite
have high strength, uniform properties in all directions.

• The best examples for a laminated composite is plywood where successive layers of
wood having different orientation of grains are cemented together and composite on
the whole has better strength in all direction.

• Among metals, layers of “Stainless steel” are permanently bonded to layers of “Cu” to
form laminated composite and used in cooking vessel & small heat exchangers where
weight, corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity are critical consideration.

• Other eg of laminated composites are bimetals, clad metals, laminated glass plastic
based laminates etc.

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• Plywood layers are glued together with adjacent plies having grain at right angles to
each other for greater strength.

• Materials are bimetals, clad metals and laminated glass.

Particulate Composites:

• In particulate composites, the reinforcement consists of small particles embedded in a

matrix.

• The particles are either flakes or in powder form, and may be spherical, cubic,
tetragonal or other regular or irregular shape.

• Very small particles less than 0.25 microns in diameter and finely distributed in the
matrix impede movement of dislocation and deformation of the material.

• Particulate composites have advantage such as improved strength, increased operating

temperature, oxidation resistance etc. A typical example is concrete, where in,
sand(reinforcement) and cement(matrix) are mixed together.

• In this type of composite, particles of varying shape & size of one metal is dispersed
in a matrix of another material.

• Ex: Cemented carbide with tungsten carbide. Cement (Group of ceramic – metal) It is
used a cutting tool.

Characteristics of composite material:

Composite have properties superior than those of conventional materials (wood, metal,
plastic etc) and this makes them to preferred for a wide range of application
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1) High specific strength

Specific strength is term that relates strength to weight ratio. Composite can be
designed for both for light and high strength. Composites are widely used to produce highest
strength to weight ratio.

2) Corrosion resistance

Metals tends to corrode in the presence of moisture or aqueous environment but,

composites provide long-term resistance to severe chemical and temperature environments.

3) Design Flexibility

Composite can be formed into complex and accurate shapes easier than other
material. This helps to design the composite to any required shape.

4) Design Stability

Composite retain their shape and size irrespective of the environment it is put into use
like hot or cool, wet or dry etc

Durability

Composite material have an exceedingly long life span compared to any other
material.

High Strength

Metals for eg have equal strength in all direction but, composite can be designed and
engineered to have strength in a specific direction.

For eg if a composite has to resists bending in one direction, most of the fiber
reinforcement can be oriented at 90o to the bending force

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