COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND

MECHANICS
• Mallick P.K – Fiber reinforced composites:

Materials ,Manufacturing and design

• Agarwal B.D. and Broutman L.J. – Analysis and

performance of Fiber composites

• Autar K.Kaw Mechanics of Composite Materials

 Composite

 Constituents

 Terminology

 Classification

 General Characteristics

 Application
 Composite materials –
Introduction
• Definition: a material composed of 2 or more
constituents
– Reinforcement phase (e.g., Fibers)
– Binder phase (e.g., compliant matrix)

• Advantages
– High strength and stiffness
– Low weight ratio
– Material can be designed in addition to the structure
– Can manufacture structures and eliminate joints
Methods of Reinforcing Plastics

Figure 9.2 Schematic illustration of methods of reinforcing plastics (matrix) with (a) particles, (b)
short or long fibers or flakes, and (c) continuous fibers. The laminate structures shown in (d) can
be produced from layers of continuous fibers or sandwich structures using a foam or honeycomb
core (see also Fig. 16.50).
 Introduction

FRP Composite materials - are known as

Fiber Reinforced Composite materials which

consists of fibers of high strength and modulus

embedded in or bonded to a matrix with distinct

interfaces between them

 Constituents of Composite Materials

• Major constituents are:

a) Fiber
b) Matrix
c) Fillers
d) Coupling agents
e) Coatings
 FIBER
• Principal load carrying member.

• Main constituent and occupy largest volume

fraction.
• The diameter of a fiber will be around 10μm.

• Commercially available fibers are of various

types such as glass, carbon and kevlar 49.
• Fibers may be of Continuous or Discontinuos
(chopped lengths) in lengths
 MATRIX
• Fibers are reinforced inside the matrix

• Keeps fiber in desired location and orientation.

• Acts as a load transfer medium

• Protects fiber from environmental damages due to

elevated temperatures and humidity.

• Matrix material may be

a) Metal matrix
b) Polymeric matrix
c) Ceramic matrix
 COUPLING AGENTS AND COATINGS
• These are applied on the fiber to improve their
wetting with matrix
• To promote bonding between the fiber-matrix
interface
• Protect the fiber from moisture and reactive fluids

• Coupling agent used with glass fiber is silanes

(Organo functional silicon compound)
 FILLERS

• To reduce cost
• Dimensional Stability
• Increase modulus
• Reduce mold shrinkage
• Control the viscosity
• Produce smoother surface
• Common filler material – Ca Co3
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix
Matrix
•Transfer Load to
Reinforcement
•Temperature Resistance
•Chemical Resistance
Reinforcement
•Tensile Properties
•Stiffness
•Impact Resistance
 TERMINOLOGY
• Lamina or Ply – incorporation of fiber into a thin
layer of matrix [ 0.1 – 1 mm thick]

• Laminate – obtained by stacking a number of

thin layer of fibers and matrix (Ply) for desired
thickness

• Strand – Commercial form of fiber, produced by

gathering number of filaments (10μm) – 204 or
more

• Roving – a group of untwisted parallel strands

wound in cylindrical forming
• A lamina (laminae) is any
arrangement of unidirectional
or woven fibers in a matrix.
Usually this arrangement is
flat, although it may be
curved, as in a shell.

• A laminate is a stack of
lamina arranged with their
main reinforcement in at least
two different directions.
 CLASSIFICATION

Composite Materials

Fiber –reinforced composites Particle-reinforced composites

Single Layer Composites Multilayered Composites (Angle ply) Random Orientation Preferred orientation

Continuous Fiber- reinforced Composites laminatee

Unidirectional reinforcement Hybrid

Bidirectional reinforcement

Discontinuous Fiber- reinforced Composites

Random Orientation

Preferred Orientation
 COMPOSITE SURVEY: Structural
Particle-reinforced Fiber -reinforced Structural

• Stacked and bonded fiber-reinforced sheets

-- stacking sequence: e.g., 0/90
-- benefit: balanced, in-plane stiffness
Adpted from Fig.
16.16, Callister

• Sandwich panels 6e.

-- low density, honeycomb core

-- benefit: small weight, large bending stiffness
face sheet
adhesive layer
honeycomb

Adapted from Fig. 16.17,

Callister 6e. (Fig. 16.17 is Dept of Mat Eng 15
from Engineered Materials
Handbook, Vol. 1, Composites, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1987.
 Single layered continuous
• Unidirectional 0° laminate

• Bidirectional
 Single layered Discontinuous
• Discontinuous Preferred

• Discontinuous Random
 Multilayered
• Angle ply laminate [θ/-θ/θ/-θ] θ ≠ 0° or
90°.

• Cross ply laminate [0°/90°/0°/90°].

 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOSITES
i) Substitution for Metals due to
 Low Specific Gravity
 High Strength to Weight ratio
 High Modulus to Weight ratio
 An – iosotropic in nature

ii) Properties depend strongly on direction of

measurement (directional dependent)
For example tensile strength is maximum
in longitudinal direction
 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOSITES
iii) Greater design flexibility
Opportunity to tailor its property
according to the need for example
selectively reinforcing to attain maximum
stress, Increased stiffness

iv) Heterogeneous nature provides

mechanism for high energy absorption
comparable to yielding. Therefore
composite exhibit gradual deterioration
 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOSITES
v) Coefficient of thermal expansion are lower
than metals therefore exhibits higher
dimensional stability over a wide range of
temperature

vi) High internal damping – resulting in

reduced noise and vibration

vii) Non – corroding behavior

 APPLICATION
• IN THE FIELD OF MILITARY AND
COMMERCIAL AIR CRAFT [ Weight reduction
and Dynamic frequency tailoring]

Carbon fibers and Kevlar 49 used in

wing, fuselage and empennage components

Fiber reinforced epoxies are used in

rotor blades for military and commercial
helicopters [ Manufacturing flexibility]

Kevlar 49 or S-glass fibre reinforced

epoxies used in filament wound motor cases
 APPLICATION
• SPACE APPLICATIONS
Boron fiber reinforced Aluminium tubes for
mid fuselage trusss structure

Aluminum honey comb in combination with

Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy face sheets for
pay load bay door

Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy tube for

manipulator arm, Artificial satellites

Kevlar 49 Fiber reinforced epoxy pressure

vessels
 APPLICATION
• AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION
E- Glass Fiber Used To Replace Leaf
Spring

• SPORTING GOODS [ Better damping and to

store elastic energy]
Tennis racket – Carbon or Boron fiber
reinforced epoxies as Skin material and
Urethane foam as core material leads to weight
reduction as well as greater stiffness.

• MARINE APPLICATION
Boat hull, deck, bulk head ,frames etc
• Strength of composite material depends
upon
• Orientation of the fiber
• Type of fiber
• Amount of fiber present.

• Fiber orientation in each layer as well as

stacking sequence of the plies plays a
major role in the strength and modulus of
the composite laminates.
Comparison of Composites
with Al
• Density of aluminum alloy approximately 2800 kg/m 3
• Density of carbon/epoxy approximately 1580 kg/m 3
• Tensile strength of aluminum alloy 7075-T6 is 570
MPa
• Tensile strength of carbon/epoxy 1830 MPa
• Strength Weight Ratio of Al Alloy is 0.204
• Strength Weight Ratio of carbon/epoxy is 1.158
 TRANSPORTATION
• Vehicles
• Highway structures
E- Glass Fiber Used to Replace Leaf
Spring
Body parts, drive shaft, springs
TRANSPORTATION
CONSTRUCTION
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS
Uses of Composites

Composite Bicycle

Laminated
Fiberglass Bow
Graphite Snowboard
32
 Uses of Composites

Dodge Viper

Front grill of an Automobile Different part of an airplane

33
 COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

EXAMPLE OF HARD TISSUE

Total Hip replacement

- It is the most common artificial joint in humans.

 COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

EXAMPLE OF HARD TISSUE

Total Hip replacement

 COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

EXAMPLE OF HARD TISSUE

Total Hip replacement

- Metal is the most popular material for Hip

replacement but has “stress shielding problem”.

- Proposed composites:

Polyether-imide reinforced with glass and

carbon fibers.

Polysulfone reinforced with carbon fibers