Introduction to Aerospace Engineering

Lecture slides

Challenge the future 1

Material types
Metals, polymers, ceramics, composites
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
6-12-2011

Delft
University of
Technology

Challenge the future

Learning objectives
Student should be able to…

• Describe the characteristics of typical aerospace materials

• Describe the groups of different materials
• Estimate composite material properties based on its constituent
properties

Material types 2 | 21
Materials
Overview of materials

• Recall
• Metals/metal alloys
Alloying & heat treatments (composition & condition)
• Polymers
Insufficient properties (low strength & stiffness)
• Ceramics
Brittle materials
• Composites
Composed materials (fibres, resin, metals)

Material types 3 | 21
Metals
Typical applications

• High strength structures (tension & compression)

• Aircraft, bridges, towers
• Components & products (high volume production)
• Cars, cans, etc
• Reinforcement
• Cables

Material types 4 | 21
Polymers
Typical applications

• Elastomers
• Rubbers
• Plastics
• Thermoplastic
• Thermoset
• Fibres
• Natural fibres
• Synthetic fibres
• Nylon

Material types 5 | 21
Polymers
Properties

Mechanical properties depend on temperature, strain rate &

environment

• Low temperatures
• Elastic and brittle behaviour E1

• Medium temperature
• Rubbery behaviour
• Glass transition temperature
• High temperature
• Viscous (liquid) E2

Tg Tm

Material types 6 | 21
Ceramics
Types and properties

• Ceramics often consist of (metal) oxides and metals

• Ionic bonds between the different atoms

• Properties
• Hard and brittle (limited toughness - small failure strain)
• High strength and stiffness feasible (depends on composition - porosity)
• Able to sustain high temperatures (strong bonds)
• Wear resistant

Material types 7 | 21
Ceramics
Typical applications

• Glass
• Window panes, lenses, fibers, ...
• Clay
• Porcelain, bricks, ...
• Cements
• Cement, lime, ...
• Other
• Cutting tools and abrasive materials
• Armor reinforcement
• Heat resistant (1600 – 1700 °C) materials for
engines and space shuttle heat protection system

Material types 8 | 21
Ceramics
Space Shuttle Columbia

• Crashed February 1, 2003

• Crew of 7 killed
• During lift-off and mission no apparent problems
• Explosion during re-entry

Material types 9 | 21
Ceramics
Space Shuttle Columbia

• Analysis:
• Piece of foam detached from tank hits leading edge during lift-off
• Foam damages heat resistant ceramic skin

• Importance of heat protection!

Material types 10 | 21
Composites
Definition

• Composites are engineering materials in which two or more

distinct and structurally complementary substances with different
physical or chemical properties are combined to produce
structural or functional properties not present in any individual
component

Material types 11 | 21
Composites
Example 1: Fibre reinforced polymer composite

• Two distinct structurally complement materials:

• Fibres
• Function: Reinforcement, carry main portion of load
• Polymer
• Functions: Transfer load to/from fibres in shear; protection, support

Material types 12 | 21
Composites
Properties

• Properties of fibre reinforced polymers

• High specific properties (strength and stiffness)
• Elastic until failure (no ductility)
• High directionality (anisotropic)
- enables tailoring to specific load applications (beams, cables, columns)
- requires multiple orientations to cope with bi-axial load applications

Material types 13 | 21
Composites
Example 2: Hybrid materials

Three distinct structurally complement materials:

• Metal
• Function: Ductility, isotropic strength/stiffness
• Fibres
• Function: Reinforcement, carry significant portion of load
• Polymer
• Function: Transfer load between fibres and metal in shear

Material types 14 | 21
Composites
Elastic property estimation

Rule of mixture
• Simple relations to estimate properties of a composite based on the
properties of its constituents
• Caution: not accurate

• Example: fibre reinforced polymer composite

• Total mass = density x volume

M
FRP
=M +M
F M
→ ρ FRPVFRP = ρ FVF + ρ M VM
• Formulated as volume fractions
V V
ρ FRP = ρ F F
+ρ M
→ ρ FRP = ρ F v F + ρ M v M
V M V
FRP FRP

Material types 15 | 21
Composites
Elastic property estimation

Rule of mixture: density of glass/epoxy composite

3000

2500 ρF
Density [kg/m 3]

2000

1500

1000
ρM
500

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Fibre volume fraction

Material types 16 | 21
Composites
Elastic property estimation

Rule of mixture example: Tensile modulus (T300 carbon fibre)

200
Tensile modulus (GPa)

UD
150 Bi-axial
Quasi-isotropic ~factor 2
100

Al-alloys
50

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

Fibre volume fraction

Material types 17 | 21
Composites
Elastic property estimation

• Rule of mixture example: Fibre Metal Laminate

Metal sheet
• FML Fibres See previous
slides
Composite
Matrix
• Metal volume fraction vM

S
FML
=S v +S
M M FRP
v
FRP
=S v +S
M M FRP
(1- v )
M

Material types 18 | 21
 Composites
Properties
Material Specific Failure Electrical Flame UV Chemical
strength strain conductivity resistance resistance resistance

Glass fibre reinforced composite High Medium Low High High Low
Carbon fibre reinforced High Low High High High Low
composite
Aramid fibre reinforced High Medium Low High High Low
composite
Fibre Metal Laminate High Medium High High High Medium

Material types 19 | 21
Composites
Typical applications

• Glass fibre composites

• Wind turbine blades,
sail planes, pressure
tanks & vessels, etc.
• Carbon fibre composites
• Automotive, aerospace,
sailboats, (motor) bikes,
sport equipment, etc.
• Aramid/kevlar composites
• Armor & bullet proof
products, etc.
• FMLs
• Aerospace

Material types 20 | 21
Summary
Material types

• Typical aerospace materials are

• Metals
• Polymers
• Ceramics
• Composites
• With their own characteristic properties and applications

Material types 21 | 21