hange E hange E

XC di XC di
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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 stiffness and strength of the
various types of composites?

Chapter 16 - 1
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Composite
• Combination of two or more individual
materials

• Design goal: obtain a more desirable

combination of properties (principle of
combined action)
– e.g., low density and high strength

Chapter 16 - 2
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Terminology/Classification
• Composite:
-- Multiphase material that is artificially
made.

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

Adapted from Fig. 16.1(a),

Callister & Rethwisch 10e.

Chapter 16 - 3
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Terminology/Classification
• 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
view
• Dispersed phase:
-- Purpose:
MMC: increase σy, TS, creep resist. 0.5 mm
CMC: increase KIc Reprinted with permission from
D. Hull and T.W. Clyne, An
PMC: increase E, σy, TS, creep resist. Introduction to Composite Materials,
2nd ed., Cambridge University Press,
-- Types: particle, fiber, structural New York, 1996, Fig. 3.6, p. 47.

Chapter 16 - 4
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Classification of Composites

Composites

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural Nano

Large- Dispersion- Continuous Discontiuous Laminates Sandwich

particle strengthened (aligned) (short) panels

Aligned Randomly
oriented
Adapted from Fig. 16.2,
Callister & Rethwisch 10e.

Chapter 16 - 5
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Classification: Particle-Reinforced (i)

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Examples:
- Spheroidite matrix: particles:
steel ferrite () cementite Fig. 10.19, Callister &
Rethwisch 10e.
(ductile) (Fe C) (Copyright 1971 by United
3 States Steel Corporation.)
(brittle)
60 μm

- WC/Co matrix: particles:

Fig. 16.4, Callister &
cemented cobalt WC Rethwisch 10e.
(ductile, (brittle, (Courtesy of Carboloy
carbide tough)
: hard)
Systems Department,
General Electric Company.)

600 μm

- Automobile matrix: particles: Fig. 16.5, Callister &

tire rubber rubber

Rethwisch 10e.
carbon (Courtesy of Goodyear Tire
(compliant) black and Rubber Company.)

(stiff)
0.75 μm Chapter 16 - 6
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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 - 7
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Classification: Fiber-Reinforced (ii)

Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural
• Fiber Types
– Whiskers - thin single crystals - large length to diameter ratios
• graphite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide
• high crystal perfection – extremely strong, strongest known
• very expensive and difficult to disperse
– Fibers
• polycrystalline or amorphous
• generally polymers or ceramics
• Ex: alumina, aramid, E-glass, boron, UHMWPE
– Wires
• metals – steel, molybdenum, tungsten

Chapter 16 - 8
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Longitudinal
direction
Fiber Alignment
Fig. 16.8, Callister &
Rethwisch 10e.

Transverse
direction

aligned aligned random

continuous discontinuous
Chapter 16 - 9
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Composite Stiffness:
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Longitudinal Loading
Continuous fibers - Estimate fiber-reinforced composite
modulus of elasticity for continuous fibers
• Longitudinal deformation
σc = σmVm + σfVf and c = m = f

volume fraction isostrain

 Ecl = EmVm + Ef Vf Ecl = longitudinal modulus

c = composite
f = fiber
m = matrix
Chapter 16 - 10
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Transverse Loading
• In transverse loading the fibers carry less of the load

c= mVm + fVf and σc = σm = σf = σ

isostress
1 Vm Vf
  
Ect Em Ef
Ect = transverse modulus
Em Ef
Ect 
VmEf Vf Em

c = composite
f = fiber
m = matrix
Chapter 16 - 11
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Composite Stiffness
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Estimate of Ecd for discontinuous fibers:

fd
-- valid when fiber length < 15
c
-- Elastic modulus in fiber direction:
Ecd = EmVm + KEfVf
efficiency factor:
Table 16.3, Callister & Rethwisch 10e.
-- aligned: K = 1 (aligned parallel) (Source is H. Krenchel, Fibre Reinforcement,
-- aligned: K = 0 (aligned perpendicular) Copenhagen: Akademisk Forlag, 1964.)

-- random 2D: K = 3/8 (2D isotropy)

-- random 3D: K = 1/5 (3D isotropy)

Chapter 16 - 12
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Composite Strength
Particle-reinforced Fiber-reinforced Structural

• Estimate of  cd* for discontinuous fibers:

1. When l > lc
 l 
 c*d    f*Vf 1    m (1Vf )
c

 2l 
2. When l < lc

l c
 cd   Vf   m (1Vf )
*

Chapter 16 - 13
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Composite Benefits
• CMCs: Increased toughness • PMCs: Increased E/ρ
Force ceramics
particle-reinf 10 3
E(GPa) PMCs
10 2
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, ρ [mg/m3]
6061 Al
ss (s-1)
• 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 σ (MPa)
10 -10
20 30 50 100 200 Chapter 16 - 14
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Summary
• Composites types are designated by:
-- the matrix material (CMC, MMC, PMC)
-- the reinforcement (particles, fibers, structural)
• Composite property benefits:
-- MMC: enhanced E, σ, creep performance
-- CMC: enhanced KIc
-- PMC: enhanced E/ρ, σy, TS/ρ
• 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 - 15
 hange E hange E
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Reading:

Core Problems:

Self-help Problems:

Chapter 16 - 16