Chapter 16: Composites

ISSUES TO ADDRESS...
• What are the classes and types of composites?
• What are the advantages of using composite
materials?
• How do we predict the elastic modulus for
composites with simple structures?

• Processing of composites

Chapter 16 - 1
 Composite
• (Purposeful) combination of two or more
individual materials

• Design goal: obtain a more desirable

combination of properties
– e.g., low density and high strength (carbon fiber
composite for auto, aerospace, and sports)
– e.g., high abrasion capability and good toughness
(diamond embedded in metal for cutting ceramics)

Chapter 16 - 2
 Terminology/Classification
• Composite:
-- Multiphase material that is artificially (as opposed to
naturally) made for improved (often mechanical) properties.

• Phase types:
-- Matrix - usually continuous
-- Dispersed phase - usually discontinuous and
surrounded by matrix

Adapted from Fig. 16.1(a),

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

Chapter 16 - 3
 Terminology & Classification by
Matrix Type
• Matrix phase: woven
-- Purposes are to: fibers
- transfer stress to dispersed phase
- protect dispersed phase from
environment
-- Types: MMC, CMC, PMC 0.5 mm
cross
metal ceramic polymer section
matrix matrix matrix view

• Dispersed phase:
-- Purpose: 0.5 mm
MMC: increase hardness sy, TS, creep resist. Reprinted with permission from
D. Hull and T.W. Clyne, An
CMC: increase toughness (Kic) Introduction to Composite Materials,
2nd ed., Cambridge University Press,
PMC: increase E, sy, TS, creep resist. New York, 1996, Fig. 3.6, p. 47.

-- Types: particle, fiber, structural Most common

Chapter 16 - 4
Classification of Composites by
Reinforcement Type

Adapted from Fig. 16.2,

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

Chapter 16 - 5
 Classification: Particle-Reinforced (i)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Examples:
- Spheroidite matrix: particles: Adapted from Fig.
steel ferrite (a) cementite 10.19, Callister &
Rethwisch 8e. (Fig.
(ductile) (Fe C) 10.19 is copyright
3
(brittle, hard)United States Steel
Corporation, 1971.)
60 mm
Adapted from Fig.
- WC/Co matrix: particles: 16.4, Callister &
cemented cobalt WC Rethwisch 8e. (Fig.
16.4 is courtesy
(ductile, (brittle,
carbide tough)
: hard)
Carboloy Systems,
Department, General
Electric Company.)
600 mm
Adapted from Fig.
16.5, Callister &
- Automobile matrix: particles: Rethwisch 8e. (Fig.
tire rubber rubber carbon 16.5 is courtesy
Goodyear Tire and
(compliant) black Rubber Company.)
(stiff)
0.75 mm Chapter 16 - 6
 Classification: Particle-Reinforced (ii)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Elastic modulus, Ec, of composites:
-- two “rule of mixture” extremes:
upper limit: Ec = Vm Em + Vp Ep
E(GPa)
Data: 350 Adapted from Fig. 16.3,
lower limit:
Cu matrix 30 0 Callister & Rethwisch 8e.
w/tungsten 250 1 Vm Vp (Fig. 16.3 is from R.H.
= + Krock, ASTM Proc, Vol.
particles 20 0 Ec Em Ep 63, 1963.)

150

0 20 4 0 6 0 8 0 10 0 vol% tungsten
(Cu) (W)
• Application to other properties for composites:
-- Electrical conductivity, se: Replace E’s in equations with se’s.
-- Thermal conductivity, k: Replace E’s in equations with k’s.
Chapter 16 - 7
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (i)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Fibers very strong in tension
– Provide significant strength improvement to the
composite
– Ex: fiber-glass - continuous glass filaments in a
polymer matrix
• Glass fibers
– strength and stiffness
• Polymer matrix
– holds fibers in place
– protects fiber surfaces
– transfers load to fibers

Chapter 16 - 8
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (ii)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Glass fibers • Fiber Types by shape
– Fibers (meters long)
• polycrystalline or amorphous
• generally polymers or ceramics
• Ex: E-glass, alumina, boron
– Whiskers – thin, single crystals with large
SiC whiskers length to diameter ratios (μm-mm long)
• graphite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide
• high crystal perfection – extremely strong,
strongest known
• expensive and difficult to disperse
– Wires
http://www.acm-usa.com/Pages • metals – steel, molybdenum, tungsten
/Materials/detail/Materials/0/7
Chapter 16 - 9
 Modes of Fiber Alignment
Longitudinal
direction

Adapted from Fig. 16.8,

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

Transverse
direction

Aligned aligned random

Continuous Discontinuous
(long fiber) (short fiber) Chapter 16 - 10
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (iii)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Aligned Continuous fibers
• Examples:
-- MMC: g'(Ni3Al)-a(Mo) -- CMC: Glass w/SiC fibers
by eutectic solidification. formed by glass slurry
matrix: a (Mo) (ductile) Eglass = 76 GPa; ESiC = 400 GPa.

(a) fracture
surface

From F.L. Matthews and R.L.

2 mm Rawlings, Composite Materials;
Engineering and Science, Reprint
fibers: g ’ (Ni3Al) (brittle) (b)
ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL,
2000. (a) Fig. 4.22, p. 145 (photo by
J. Davies); (b) Fig. 11.20, p. 349
From W. Funk and E. Blank, “Creep
(micrograph by H.S. Kim, P.S.
deformation of Ni3Al-Mo in-situ composites",
Rodgers, and R.D. Rawlings). Used
Metall. Trans. A Vol. 19(4), pp. 987-998,
with permission of CRC
1988. Used with permission.
Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Chapter 16 - 11
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (iv)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
Discontinuous fibers, random in 2D
• Example: Carbon-Carbon composite C fibers:
-- fabrication process: very stiff
- carbon fibers embedded very strong
in polymer resin matrix, (b)
C matrix:
500 mm
- polymer resin pyrolyzed less stiff
at up to 2500ºC. view onto plane less strong
-- uses: disk brakes, gas
fibers lie
turbine exhaust flaps,
(a) in plane
missile nose cones.
Other possibilities:
-- Discontinuous, random 3D Adapted from F.L. Matthews and R.L. Rawlings,
Composite Materials; Engineering and Science,
-- Discontinuous, aligned Reprint ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2000.
(a) Fig. 4.24(a), p. 151; (b) Fig. 4.24(b) p. 151.
(Courtesy I.J. Davies) Reproduced with
permission of CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Chapter 16 - 12
 Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (v)
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Critical fiber length for effective stiffening & strengthening:
fiber ultimate tensile strength fiber diameter
sf d
fiber length  shear strength of
2c
fiber-matrix interface
• Ex: For fiberglass, common fiber length > 15 mm needed
• For longer fibers, stress transference from matrix is more efficient
and strengthening is more significant
Short fibers: Long fibers:

Low fiber efficiency High fiber efficiency

Chapter 16 - 13
 Composite Modulus:
Longitudinal Loading
Continuous fibers - Estimate modulus of elasticity for
continuous fiber-reinforced composite
Longitudinal deformation
Am Af
Fc = Fm + Ff  scAc = smAm + sfAf ; Also A  V V m f
Ac
Therefore, sc = smVm + sfVf c = m = f
c
and

volume fraction isostrain

Ecl = longitudinal modulus

c = composite
Ecl = EmVm + Ef Vf f = fiber phase
m = matrix phase

Chapter 16 - 14
 Class Exercise
A continuous and aligned fiber-reinforced composite consists of
40 vol.% of glass fiber having modulus of elasticity of 69 GPa and
60 vol% of polyester that, when hardened, display a modulus of 3.4
Gpa
(a)Calculate the modulus of elasticity of the composite in the
longitude direction
(b)If an external tensile force of 12500 N is applied along the
longitude direction, calculate the load carried by each of the fiber
and matrix phase assuming isostrain condition is satisfied along
that direction and the load carried by each phase (fiber and matrix)
satisfy
Ff E fV f

Fm E mV m

Chapter 16 - 15
 Class Exercise
(a) Modulus of elasticity for composite with
continuous aligned fiber along longitude
direction is:
Ecl = EmVm + Ef Vf
Therefore,
Ecl = 3.4 x 60% + 69 x 40% = 29.6 GPa

Chapter 16 - 16
(b) Under the testing condition, isostrain
c = m = f
Load born by fiber Ff and load born by
matrix Fm satisfy F f
E V 69  0 . 4
f f
   13 . 5
Fm E mV m 3 .4  0 .6

Total load Fcl = Fm + Ff

Therefore, Fcl=(13.5+1)Fm
Fm= Fcl/14.5=12500/14.5=862N
Ff=13.5*Fm=11638N

Chapter 16 - 17
 Composite Modulus:
Transverse Loading
In transverse loading for aligned fiber reinforced
composition, the fibers carry MUCH LESS of the load
and very little strengthening effect
c= mVm + fVf and sc = sm = sf = s
isostress
1 Vm Vf
   Ect = transverse modulus
E ct Em Ef


EmEf
E ct 
Vm E f  Vf E m

c = composite
f = fiber
 m = matrix
Chapter 16 - 18
 Exercise
A continuous and aligned fiber-reinforced composite consists
of 40 vol.% of glass fiber having modulus of elasticity of 69
GPa and 60 vol% of polyester that, when hardened, display a
modulus of 3.4 Gpa
(a)Calculate the modulus of elasticity of the composite in the
transverse (i.e., perpendicular to the fiber alignment) direction

Chapter 16 - 19
 Composite Modulus
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Ecd for discontinuous fibers:

s fd
-- When fiber length is short, i.e., < 15
c

-- Elastic modulus:
Ecd = EmVm + KEfVf

efficiency factor:
Values from Table 16.3, Callister &
-- aligned: K = 1 (aligned parallel) Rethwisch 8e. (Source for Table
-- aligned: K = 0 (aligned perpendicular) 16.3 is H. Krenchel, Fibre
Reinforcement, Copenhagen:
-- random 2D: K = 3/8 (2D isotropy) Akademisk Forlag, 1964.)
-- random 3D: K = 1/5 (3D isotropy)

Chapter 16 - 20
 Classification: Structural
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Laminates -
-- stacked and bonded fiber-reinforced sheets
- stacking sequence: e.g., 0º/90º
Adapted from
- benefit: balanced in-plane stiffness Fig. 16.16,
Callister &
Rethwisch 8e.
• Sandwich panels
-- honeycomb core between two facing sheets
- benefits: low density, large bending stiffness
face sheet
adhesive layer
honeycomb

Adapted from Fig. 16.18,

Callister & Rethwisch 8e.
(Fig. 16.18 is from Engineered Materials
Handbook, Vol. 1, Composites, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 1987.) Chapter 16 - 21
 Composite Production Methods (i)
Pultrusion
• Continuous fibers pulled through resin tank to impregnate fibers with
thermosetting resin
• Impregnated fibers pass through steel die that preforms to the desired shape
• Preformed stock passes through a curing die that is
– precision machined to impart final shape
– heated to initiate curing of the resin matrix

Fig. 16.13, Callister & Rethwisch 8e.

Chapter 16 -
 Composite Production Methods (ii)
• Filament Winding
– Continuous reinforcing fibers are accurately positioned in a predetermined
pattern to form a hollow (usually cylindrical) shape
– Fibers are fed through a resin bath to impregnate with thermosetting resin
– Impregnated fibers are continuously wound (typically automatically) onto a
mandrel
– After appropriate number of layers added, curing is carried out either in an
oven or at room temperature
– The mandrel is removed to give the final product
Adapted from Fig. 16.15, Callister & Rethwisch 8e.
[Fig. 16.15 is from N. L. Hancox, (Editor), Fibre
Composite Hybrid Materials, The Macmillan
Company, New York, 1981.]

Chapter 16 -
 Other Examples of Composite
Benefits
• CMCs: Increased toughness • PMCs: Increased E/r
Force 3 ceramics
particle-reinf 10
E(GPa) 2 PMCs
10
10 metal/
fiber-reinf
1 metal alloys
un-reinf
0.1 polymers
0.01
Bend displacement 0.1 0.3 1 3 10 30
10 -4 Density, r [mg/m3]
ss (s-1) 6061 Al
• MMCs: 10 -6
Adapted from T.G. Nieh, "Creep rupture of a
Increased silicon-carbide reinforced aluminum
composite", Metall. Trans. A Vol. 15(1), pp.
creep 10 -8 6061 Al 139-146, 1984. Used with permission.

resistance w/SiC
whiskers
10 -10
s(MPa)
20 30 50 100 200 Chapter 16 - 24
 Limitations with Current
Composites
• Higher cost, especially for MMC and
mostly for CMC
• Limitations with regard to matrix materials
– PMC: degrades rapidly at elevated
temperature (e.g., >~200 oC)
– MMC: Oxidation for light metals (e.g.,
Al)
– CMC: Very difficult to form and shape

Chapter 16 - 25
 Summary
• Composites types are designated by:
-- the matrix material (CMC, MMC, PMC)
-- the reinforcement (particles, fibers, structural)
• Composite property benefits:
-- MMC: enhanced E, s, creep performance
-- CMC: enhanced KIc
-- PMC: enhanced E/r, sy, TS/r
• Particulate-reinforced:
-- Types: large-particle and dispersion-strengthened
-- Properties are isotropic
• Fiber-reinforced:
-- Types: continuous (aligned)
discontinuous (aligned or random)
-- Properties can be isotropic or anisotropic
• Structural:
-- Laminates and sandwich panels
Chapter 16 - 26
 Expectations on Chapter 16
• Understand the concepts of composites. Be able to classify
composites by matrix materials and by the form of dispersion
phase (reinforcement phase) and give simple real world examples
• Be able to describe the major advantages for different
composites over their respective matrix phase used
• Understand the influence of addition of secondary phase on the
mechanical property (modulus and strength) for composites
under simplified conditions and be able to use the formula to
solve simple problems
• Understand the distribution of the dispersion (reinforcement)
phase on mechanical property of the composites

Chapter 16 - 27