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Definition and Composition of Composites

 Definition: Composites are engineered materials manufactured from two or more
physically or chemically distinct phases, separated by an interface, with properties not
exhibited by any single component alone.
 Structure: Consist of a reinforcing phase (e.g., fibres, particulates) embedded in a
matrix (e.g., polymer, metal, ceramic), combined at a macroscopic level and insoluble
in each other.
 Key Insight: The combination of reinforcement and matrix creates unique, enhanced
material characteristics.

2. Advantages of Composites
 General Properties:
 Light weight
 High stiffness
 High strength
 High fatigue resistance
 Low thermal expansion
 Special Features:
 Part integration: Replaces multiple metallic components with a single
composite part.
 Corrosion and chemical resistance.
 Ease of manufacturing complex shapes.
 Good impact and vibration damping.
 Low processing costs due to reduced temperature and pressure requirements.
 Comparison to Metals: Composites often outperform steel and aluminium in specific
modulus and strength and offer superior thermal properties like lower thermal
expansion.
 Key Insight: Composites provide significant advantages over conventional materials,
making them ideal for advanced applications.

3. Types of Composites
 Categories:
 Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC): Use polymers like thermosets or
thermoplastics.
 Metal Matrix Composites (MMC): Use metals like aluminium or titanium.
 Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC): Use ceramics like Al₂O₃ or SiC.
 Configurations:
 Continuous fibre, short fibre, particulate, nano, and hybrid composites.
 Fibre types include continuous, woven, chopped, and hybrid.
 Key Insight: The diversity in types and configurations allows composites to be tailored
for specific needs.
4. Applications of Composites
 Industries:
 Defence, aerospace, automotive, sporting goods, marine, consumer goods, and
construction.
 Specific Examples:

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  Aerospace: Graphite/epoxy in aircraft engine cowlings, space shuttle
components, and Boeing 777 parts; weight savings in commercial and military
aircraft.
 Automotive: MMC pistons and disc brake callipers, glass/epoxy leaf springs,
carbon fibre epoxy in Formula 1 cars and BMW M6 roof panels.
 Sporting Goods: Tennis rackets, golf clubs, fishing rods.
 Construction: Glass fibre-reinforced vinyl ester in bridge decks.
 Other: Bulletproof vests, cut-resistant gloves.
 Key Insight: Composites are widely used across industries due to their lightweight
and high-performance properties.

5. Drawbacks of Composites
 Limitations:
 High material costs compared to steel and aluminium.
 Lack of high-volume production capabilities.
 Insufficient design data.
 Low temperature resistance (especially polymer matrices).
 Moisture absorption affecting properties.
 Complexity:
 Mechanical characterization is more complex due to anisotropy, requiring more
material parameters than isotropic metals like steel.
 Trade-offs:
 Composites do not excel in all properties (e.g., strength, toughness, formability,
joinability, corrosion resistance, affordability) compared to metals.
 Key Insight: Despite their advantages, composites have practical and technical
challenges that must be addressed.

6. Material Selection Considerations

 Factors:
 Types and modes of loading (e.g., static, fatigue, impact).
 Service life and operating environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, chemicals).
 Interaction with other structures, manufacturing processes, and total cost
(material + production).
 Key Insight: Selecting composites requires a holistic evaluation beyond just material
properties, considering application-specific demands and economics.

7. Conclusion and Future Potential

 Summary:
o Composites offer a wide scope for applications due to their lightweight nature
and improved properties.
o Significant research potential exists, especially in nanocomposites, an emerging
field.
 Key Insight: Composites are a cornerstone of modern engineering with ongoing
opportunities for innovation.

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1. Types of Matrix Materials
 Polymers, Metals, and Ceramics are the primary matrix materials used in composites.
o Polymers: Include thermosets (e.g., epoxies, polyesters) and thermoplastics
(e.g., PEEK, nylon).
o Metals: Include aluminium, titanium, magnesium, and copper alloys.
o Ceramics: Include alumina (Al₂O₃), silicon carbide (SiC), and others.
2. Role of the Matrix in Composites
 The matrix plays several critical roles in fibre-reinforced composites:
 Holds fibres in place and transfers stresses between them.
 Acts as a barrier against environmental factors (e.g., moisture, chemicals).
 Protects fibres from mechanical damage (e.g., abrasion).
 Influences compressive strength by providing lateral support to prevent fibre
buckling.
 Affects interlaminar shear strength (important for bending loads) and in-plane
shear strength (important for torsional loads).
 Plays a minor role in tensile load-carrying capacity.
3. Polymer Matrices
 Thermosets:
 Examples: Epoxies (aerospace), polyesters/vinyl esters (automotive, marine),
phenolics (bulk moulding).
 Properties: Low viscosity for easy processing with continuous fibres, rigid
network after curing (cannot be melted).
 Advantages of Epoxy: High strength, good fibre wetting, low shrinkage,
thermal stability, and chemical resistance.
 Thermoplastics:
 Examples: Nylons, PEEK, PPS (injection-moulded articles or high-
temperature applications).
 Properties: Can be melted and reshaped, suitable for short-fibre composites.
Comparison of Thermoplastics and Thermosets
 Thermoplastics:
o Advantages: Can be reprocessed, higher strain to failure, easier to handle and
repair.
o Challenges: Require higher processing temperatures, potentially increasing
energy costs.
 Thermosets:
o Advantages: Rigid, excellent solvent resistance, thermal stability.
o Challenges: Cannot be reprocessed (decompose on heating), longer cure
cycles, less flexible in design changes.
4. Metal Matrices
 Common Metals: Aluminium, titanium, magnesium, and their alloys.
 Applications: High-temperature environments (300°C–500°C).
 Advantages:
 Higher yield strength and modulus than polymers.

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  Better performance in severe conditions (e.g., high temperatures, moisture).
 Can be plastically deformed and strengthened.
 Disadvantages:
 High density and melting points (require high processing temperatures).
 Susceptible to corrosion at the fibre-matrix interface.
 Examples:
 Aluminium alloys (e.g., 6061, 201) with SiC reinforcement for strength-to
weight ratios.
 Titanium alloys (e.g., Ti-6Al-4V) for high-temperature strength retention.
5. Ceramic Matrices
 Common Ceramics: Alumina (Al₂O₃), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄).
 Properties:
 High temperature stability, modulus, hardness, and corrosion resistance.
 Brittle with low fracture toughness (improved by ceramic fibre reinforcements).
 Applications: High-temperature environments requiring thermal shock resistance.
6. Desirable Properties of Matrices
 For high-performance composites, matrices should have:
 High tensile modulus: Enhances compressive strength.
 High tensile strength: Controls intra-ply cracking.
 High fracture toughness: Prevents ply delamination and crack growth.
 Dimensional stability: Resistance to temperature, moisture, and solvents
(especially for polymers).
7. Processing and Additives
 Processing Characteristics: Viscosity, curing temperature, and time affect composite
properties.
 Fillers (e.g., calcium carbonate): Reduce cost and shrinkage but may lower strength.
 Tougheners (e.g., CTBN): Improve impact strength and crack resistance in thermosets.
 Prepregs: Thin sheets of fibres impregnated with resin (30–45% resin by weight) for
autoclave or compression moulding.
 Sheet-Moulding Compounds (SMC): Pre compounded thermoset sheets (e.g.,
polyesters) for compression moulding, with fibre orientations like random (SMC-R) or
continuous (SMC-CR).
8. Applications Based on Matrix Type
 Thermosets: Aerospace (epoxies), automotive/marine (polyesters), high-temperature
aerospace (polyimides).
 Thermoplastics: Injection-moulded parts (nylons), moderately high-temperature
applications (PEEK, PPS).
 Metals: High-temperature structural uses (e.g., titanium in aerospace).
 Ceramics: Extreme temperature and corrosion-resistant applications.
9. Epoxy
 Thermoset polymer with low-molecular-weight liquid chemicals and low viscosities.
 Short time for fibre incorporation in the matrix.
 Good wettability with fibres.
 Good thermal stability and chemical resistance.

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  Less creep and stress relaxation than thermoplastic polymers.
 High strength.
 Low viscosity and flow rates, enabling good fibre wetting and preventing fibre
misalignment during processing.
 Low volatility during cure.
 Low shrink rates, reducing shear stress at the epoxy-reinforcement bond.
 Available in more than 20 grades for specific property and processing requirements.

Fillers and Additives

To enhance matrix properties or reduce costs, fillers and additives are incorporated:
 Fillers: Such as calcium carbonate, reduce cost and shrinkage, improve modulus and
surface finish, but may lower strength and impact resistance.
 Additives: Tougheners improve impact strength and crack resistance, particularly for
brittle thermosets, enhancing overall composite durability.
These modifications allow for tailoring matrix properties to specific needs, balancing cost
and performance.

Manufacturing Techniques
 Prepregs: Involve continuous fibres impregnated with resin, used for creating fibre-
reinforced polymer sheets. Epoxy prepregs, for example, have specific shelf-life
considerations affecting their usability.
 Sheet Moulding Compounds (SMC): Utilize thermoset resins like polyesters for
compression moulding, offering high production rates for automotive parts.
These techniques are essential for achieving the desired composite structure and
properties, with processing conditions playing a significant role in final performance.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Each matrix type has trade-offs:
 Polymers: Easy to process, lightweight, but limited temperature resistance and lower
strength compared to metals.
 Metals: High strength, temperature resistance, but higher density and potential
corrosion issues.
 Ceramics: Excellent thermal stability, hardness, but brittle, requiring reinforcement to
improve toughness.
Material Selection Considerations
Selecting the right matrix involves evaluating:
 Mechanical Demands: Types and modes of loading (e.g., static, fatigue, impact).
 Environmental Factors: Operating temperature, humidity, chemical exposure.
 Manufacturing Processes: Compatibility with production methods, cost implications.
 Performance Requirements: Balancing strength, stiffness, durability, and weight.