More material property combinations have been possible because of the development of composite

materials.

 Composite
1. “Any multiphase material that exhibits a significant proportion of the properties of both
constituent phases such that a better combination of properties is realized.”
2. Materials with different properties of different materials
3. Artificially made, does not form naturally
4. x(y) = xy; a(b) = ab

 According to this principle of combined action, better property combinations are fashioned by
the judicious combination of two or more distinct materials. Property trade-offs (or
compromises) are also made for many composites.
 Most metallic alloys and many ceramics do not fit this definition because their multiple phases
are formed as a consequence of natural phenomena.
 Examples: Concrete, plywood, and fiberglass, sports equipment, aircraft, space shuttle

DISPERSION-STRENGTHENED MATERIALS

Metals and metal alloys may be strengthened and hardened by the uniform dispersion of several
volume percent of fine particles of a very hard and inert material. The dispersed phase may be metallic
or nonmetallic; oxide materials are often used.

PARTICULATE

The particulates can be very small particles (< 0.25 microns), chopped fibers (such as glass), platelets,
hollow spheres, or new materials such as bucky balls or carbon nano-tubes

Particulate composites offer several advantages. They provide reinforcement to the matrix material
thereby strengthening the material. The combination of reinforcement and matrix can provide for very
specific material properties. For example, the inclusion of conductive reinforcements in a plastic can
produce plastics that are somewhat conductive. Particulate composites can often use more traditional
manufacturing methods such as injection molding which reduces cost.

The most common particulate composite materials are reinforced plastics which are used in a variety of
industries.

Automotive

Glass reinforced plastics are used in many automotive applications including body panels, bumpers,
dashboards, and intake manifolds. Brakes are made of particulate composite composed of carbon or
ceramics particulates.

Consumer Products

Many of the plastic components we use in daily life are reinforced in some way. Appliances, toys,
electrical products, computer housings, cell phone casings, office furniture, helmets, etc. are made from
particulate reinforced plastics.
FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITES

The mechanical characteristics of a fiber-reinforced composite depend not only on the properties of the
fiber, but also on the degree to which an applied load is transmitted to the fibers by the matrix phase.

Fiber-reinforced composites are composed of axial particulates embedded in a matrix material. The
objective of fiber-reinforced composites it to obtain a material with high specific strength and high
specific modulus. (i.e. high strength and high elastic modulus for its weight.) The strength is obtained by
having the applied load transmitted from the matrix to the fibers. Hence, interfacial bonding is
important. These materials are not generally usable as fibers alone, and typically they are impregnated
by a matrix material that acts to transfer loads to the fibers. The matrix also protects the fibers from
abrasion and environmental attack.

These characteristics are expressed in terms of specific strength and specific modulus parameters, which
correspond, respectively, to the ratios of tensile strength to specific gravity and modulus of elasticity to
specific gravity. Fiber-reinforced composites with exceptionally high specific strengths and moduli have
been produced that utilize low-density fiber and matrix materials.
PROCESSING

Pultrusion – used for the manufacture of components having continuous lengths and a constant cross-
sectional shape (i.e., rods, tubes, beams, etc.) 3 are first impregnated with a thermosetting resin; these
are then pulled through a steel die that preforms to the desired shape and also establishes the
resin/fiber ratio. The stock then passes through a curing die that is precision machined so as to impart
the final shape; this die is also heated in order to initiate curing of the resin matrix. A pulling device
draws the stock through the dies and also determines the production speed. Tubes and hollow sections
are made possible by using center mandrels or inserted hollow cores. Principal reinforcements are glass,
carbon, and aramid fibers, normally added in concentrations between 40 and 70 vol%. Commonly used
matrix materials include polyesters, vinyl esters, and epoxy resins.

Pultrusion is a continuous process that is easily automated; production rates are relatively high, making
it very cost effective. Furthermore, a wide variety of shapes are possible, and there is really no practical
limit to the length of stock that may be manufactured.
Prepreg – the composite industry’s term for continuous fiber reinforcement pre-impregnated with a
polymer resin that is only partially cured. This material is delivered in tape form to the manufacturer,
who then directly molds and fully cures the product without having to add any resin. It is probably the
composite material form most widely used for structural applications. The pre-pregging process,
represented schematically for thermoset polymers in

Figure 15.13, begins by collimating a series of spool-wound continuous fiber tows. These tows are then
sandwiched and pressed between sheets of release and carrier paper using heated rollers, a process
termed ‘‘calendering.’’ The release paper sheet has been coated with a thin film of heated resin solution
of relatively low viscosity so as to provide for its thorough impregnation of the fibers. A ‘‘doctor blade’’
spreads the resin into a film of uniform thickness and width. The final prepreg product—the thin tape
consisting of continuous and aligned fibers embedded in a partially cured resin—is prepared for
packaging by winding onto a cardboard core. As shown in Figure 15.13, the release paper sheet is
removed as the impregnated tape is spooled. Typical tape thicknesses range between 0.08 and 0.25 mm
(3

10 3 and 10 2 in.), tape widths range between 25 and 1525 mm (1 and 60 in.), whereas resin content
usually lies between about 35 and 45 vol%.
FILAMENT WINDING – Filament winding is a process by which continuous reinforcing fibers are
accurately positioned in a predetermined pattern to form a hollow (usually cylindrical) shape. The fibers,
either as individual strands or as tows, are first fed through a resin bath and then continuously wound
onto a mandrel, usually using automated winding equipment (Figure 15.14). After the appropriate
number of layers have been applied, curing is carried out either in an oven or at room temperature,
after which the mandrel is removed. As an alternative, narrow and thin prepregs (i.e., tow pregs) 10 mm
or less in width may be filament wound.

Structural composite – normally composed of both homogeneous and composite materials, the
properties of which depend not only on the properties of the constituent materials but also on the
geometrical design of the various structural elements. Laminar composites and sandwich panels are two
of the most common structural composites; only a relatively superficial examination is offered here for
them.

 Laminar composite – is composed of two-dimensional sheets or panels that have a preferred

Examples:
• Automotive tires - consists of multiple layers bonded together
• FRPs - multi-layered fiber-reinforced plastic panels for aircraft, automobile body
panels, boat hulls
• Printed circuit boards - layers of reinforced plastic and copper for electrical
conductivity and insulation
• Snow skis - composite structures consisting of layers of metals, particle board, and
phenolic plastic
• Windshield glass - two layers of glass on either side of a sheet of tough plastic