COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Cris Arnold
Materials Research Centre
j.c.arnold@swansea.ac.uk
Definition - a combination of more than one
material tailored to give advantages over
either individual material
COMPOSITES - EXAMPLES
• Polymers / Metals / Ceramics

combined with:

• Particles / Fibres normally of a stiffer and

stronger material
 Composites - Examples
• Most common are based on polymer matrix
– Polyester matrix and glass fibres (cheap)
– Epoxy matrix and carbon fibres (stronger)
– Nylon with short glass fibres (mouldable)
• But not all
– Aluminium alloys with SiC fibres
– SiC with SiC fibres
• Fibres : Main stress carriers, provide the strength
and stiffness. They are typically high
strength/stiffness materials. Can use continuous
fibres, woven fabrics, chopped fibres.

• Matrix : Much weaker and more flexible material

that surrounds fibre and transfers load from one
fibre to another. Provides toughness. May be
thermosetting or thermoplastic.

• Interface: Interface is the boundary between

polymer and fibre. Critical to transfer of load
between fibre and matrix. Often improved with
chemical coupling agents.
Good interface bond
needed between fibres
and matrix to transfer
the load.

Here, well bonded

(still adhering to fibres
after fracture)
 Types of Fibre
STIFFNESS STRENGTH DENSITY
Glass (E) 70 GPa ~1 GPa 2.5
Carbon (HM) 390 GPa 2 GPa 1.8
Carbon (HS) 240 GPa 3 GPa 1.8
Nanotubes 1000 GPa 60 GPa 1.4
SiC monofilament 400 GPa 3.5 GPa 3
SiC whisker 700 GPa 10 GPa 3.2
Kevlar 130 GPa 2.5 GPa 1.4
Spectra (PE) 170 GPa 2.8 GPa 0.97
Hemp 70 GPa 0.7 GPa 1.1
 Arrangements
• Many arrangements of fibres in composites,
including

• Continuous unidirectional
• Woven fabric layers (laminates)
• Wound continuous fibres
• Random chopped fibres.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9JVtBVXAHyI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H
7p3rHxw_rU
 Composites in Construction
• Mainly lower cost
Glass-fibre reinforced
polyester
• Low weight, high
stiffness, good
strength
• Increasing confidence
in their use
• No EM interference
with electric railway
 Maritime use of Composites

• Glass fibre reinforced

polyester widely used for
many boats
• Carbon fibres for high
performance
• Luxury yachts to canoes
• Low weight, high
stiffness, water resistant,
easy to fabricate
 Composites in Aerospace

• Widespread for
military and civil
aircraft and UAV’s
• Need very light, stiff
and strong materials.
• Carbon fibre
composites best option
• Good UV resistance
beneficial
 Wind Turbines
• Glass fibre polyester
composite
• High stiffness / low weight
• Strength can be maximised
along length
• Good weathering
resistance
 Wind Turbines

• Aeroelastic (controlled
twist) blades change
aerodynamics as wind
speed increases
• Material failures are
rare
 Composites in Medicine
• Carbon Fibre needles
• Allow MRI imaging
during surgery
• Metal needles would
interfere
• Need high stiffness,
high hardness,
biocompatibility
 Ceramic Nanocomposites
• Carbon nanotubes
added to ceramic
material
• Provides additional
toughness
 Mobile Phones (?)
• Carbon-fibre
composite mobile
phone case
• Advantages?
– Harder to process
– More expensive
– Harder to recycle
– Thermoplastics do fine
• Marketing appeal
 DESIGNING WITH
COMPOSITES
• Possible to predict strength and stiffness
• Simplest for:
– Stiffness
– Continuous fibre composite
– All fibres alligned
• Harder to predict strength, short fibres,
different directions
Don’t worry about these – it’s just to show that
composite mechanics gets complicated!
 STIFFNESS OF COMPOSITE
• If stress is applied parallel to fibres, all have
the same strain
 STIFFNESS OF COMPOSITE
• If stress is applied parallel to fibres, all have
the same strain
 STRESS
• Stress in fibres will be different from stress
in matrix
sf = Ef.ef sm = Em.em

• Total stress:
s = Vsf + (1-V)sm
s = VEf.ef + (1-V) Em.em
 STIFFNESS
• Stiffness = stress / strain

Ecomp = s/e
= (VEf.ef + (1-V) Em.em)/e
= VEf + (1-V) Em
 STIFFNESS OF COMPOSITE
• If stress is applied perpendicular to fibres,
all have the same stress
 STRAIN
• Strain in fibres will be different from strain
in matrix
ef = sf/Ef em = sm/Em

• Total strain:
e = Vef + (1-V)em
e = Vsf/Ef + (1-V) sm/Em
 STIFFNESS
• Stiffness = stress / strain
Ecomp = s/e
= s /(Vsf/Ef + (1-V) sm/Em)

= 1/(V/Ef + (1-V)/Em)

= Em.Ef / (VEm + (1-V)Ef)

 EXAMPLE
A fibre-reinforced composite contains a
volume fraction (V) of aligned fibres with a
Young’s Modulus (Ef) in a matrix of modulus
(Em), so that the modulus of the composite
parallel to the fibre direction (Ec) is given by:
VEf + (1-V). Em
• A composite beam has a square cross
section 11mm x 11mm
• It is made from Polyester, with a modulus
Em of 4 GPa
• It is reinforced with 25% (volume) glass
fibres, with a modulus Ef of 100 GPa.
• The fibres are continuous, unidirectional.
• The beam is subject to an axial force of 12
kN
 Calculate:
a) The modulus of the composite
b) The stress in the composite beam
c) The strain in the composite
d) The stress on the fibres
e) The load carried by the fibres
f) The stress on the matrix
g) The load carried by the matrix
 EG-180 Introduction to Materials Engineering-Revision
Examples, Part B, ( Solutions-cont.)
Solution:
(a) The modulus of the composite Ec is given as: VEf+(1-V)Em =
(0.25x100)+(0.75x4)= 28GPa
(b) The stress in the composite bar =Load/Area= 12000N/112mm2=
99.2MPa
(c) The strain in the composite
=stress/modulus=99.2MPa/28GPa=99.2MPa/28000MPa= 0.0035 (
0.35%)
(d) Stress on fibres= strain in fibres x modulus of fibres (all strains are
equal) = 0.0035x100GPa=0.35GPa=350MPa
(e) Load on fibres=stress on fibres x area of fibres= 350MPa x 0.25
x112mm2=350N/mm2 x0.25 x112mm2=10720N=10.72kN
(f) Stress on the matrix= strain on the matrix x modulus of matrix (all
strains are equal)= 0.0035 x 4GPa=0.014GPa=14MPa
(g) Load on matrix=stress on matrix x area of matrix =14MPa x0.75
x112mm2=14N/mm2 x 0.75 x112mm2=1270N=1.27kN