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2011
Material science and engineering

Krishna Jntuk

THE MODULUS AS A PARAMETER IN DESIGN:

loading. The stiffness is dependent on the shape of the structural component. For identical shapes, it is proportional to the elastic modulus. Therefore, the elastic modulus is an important material parameter in mechanical design. Materials with high stiffness and hence high modulus are often required.

he stiffness of a material is its ability to resist elastic deformation or deflection on

Covalently bonded elements such as

diamond have a very high modulus (1140 GN/m2). However they are not suitable for use in engineering practice, due to high cost, nonavailability and brittleness. Brittle materials cannot
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withstand accidental overloading during service and fail in catastrophic manner. Hence, they are not suitable as structural members, even though they may have a high modulus. Ductile elements such as metals withstand accidental overloading without catastrophic failure and as such are suitable for structural components. Among the metals, the elements of the first transition series offer a good compromise of adequate ductility and a moderately high modulus, in the range 200 GN/m2. The metals of the second and third transition series have an even higher modulus but have the disadvantage of high density. By suitable alloying, the Youngs modulus of metals can be increased. However, the modulus being a structure insensitive property, it can be increased only in properties to the concentration of the higher modulus additive. For
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producing a high modulus Fe-based material, reinforcement with TiB2 particles is a promising route. With 50 vol % of TiB2 particles in the Fe matrix, there is an increase of more than 50% in the modulus. The TiB2 particles are in stable equilibrium with Fe. As the particles are approximately spherical, the modulus is not dependent on direction as in fiber reinforced materials. The youngs moduli of some ionic solids are given below: Material Y,GN/m2 NaCl MgO 310 Al2O3 402 TiC 308 Silica glass 70

Youngs modulus 37

Even though the modulus values of some of them are quite high, they also suffer from the lack of ductility like covalent solids. In spite of their plasticity, polymers are not suitable for applications where high stiffness is required. They have low modulus, as the chains are bonded together by secondary bonds. The value of the modulus is dependent on the nature of the secondary bonding (Vander walls or hydrogen bonding), the presence of bulky size groups, branching in the chains and cross linking. For example, unbranched polyethylene has a Youngs modulus of 0.2 GN/m2, whereas polystyrene with a large phenyl side group in the monomer has a modulus of 3 GN/m2.Three dimensionally bonded network polymers such as phenol formaldehyde and fully cross linked rubber (ebonite) have a modulus in the range 3-5 GN/m2.
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It is evident that polymers as a whole have much lower moduli, as compared to other primarily bonded materials. This places a severe restriction on the usage of polymers as structural components. In composite materials, an atempt is made to increase the stiffnesss, without the disadvantages of brittleness. Boron has a low density and is suitable for light weight applications and for air borne structures. Its elastic modulus is one of the higest for elements (y=440 GN/m2), but it is brittle. It can be used as a reinforcing fiber for a ductile matrix such as aluminium. In the Al-B composite, the elastic modulus is increased due to the presence of the boron fibers. At the same time, the disadvantages of the brittleness of boron are countered, by the cushioning effect of the ductile matrix. The ductile matrix stops a propagating
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crack if a fibre embedded in it breaks accidentally. If the entire material were to consist of boron only, a propagating crack would culminate in the fracture of the entire cross-section.

Aluminum coated fibers of silica are pressed together to produce a strong and light composite material