Composite Material

A combination of two or more materials to

form
a new material system with enhanced
material properties.

What are Composites?
Composites: A combination of two or more materials
(reinforcement, resin, filler, etc.), differing in form or
composition on a macroscale. The constituents retain
their identities, i.e.., they do not dissolve or merge into
each other, although they act in concert. Normally, the
components can be physically identified and exhibit an
interface between each other.
Composites: Artificially produced multiphase materials.
Composites: Design materials with properties better
than those of conventional materials (metals, ceramics,
or polymers).
Composites: materials, usually man-made, that are a
three-dimensional combination of at least two
chemically distinct materials, with a distinct interface
separating the components, created to obtain
properties that cannot be achieved by any of the
components acting alone.
Composites: are combinations of two materials in
which one of the materials, called the reinforcing
phase, is in the form of fibers, sheets, or particles, and
is embedded in the other materials called the matrix
phase. The reinforcing material and the matrix material
can be metal, ceramic, or polymer.
In their broadest form, composites are materials consist of
two or more constituents. The constituents are combined
in such a way that they keep their individual physical
phases and are not soluble in each other or not to form a
new chemical compound.
One constituent is called reinforcing phase and the one in
which the reinforcing phase is embedded is called matrix.
Historical or natural examples of composites are abundant:
brick made of clay reinforced with straw, mud wall with
bamboo shoots, concrete, concrete reinforced with steel
rebar, granite consisting of quartz, mica and feldspar, wood
(cellulose fibers in lignin matrix), etc.
Advanced Composites: Advanced composite
materials are refereed to those composite
materials developed and used in the
aerospace industries. They usually consist of
high performance fibers as reinforcing phases
and polymers or metals as matrices.
Definition: An advanced composite material
comprises at least two chemically different
materials (heterogeneity): a reinforcement,
and a matrix that binds the reinforcement and
is separated from it by a sharp interface.
Dispersed phase
within continuous phase
Phases of Composites
Matrix Phase: Polymers, Metals, Ceramics Also,
continuous phase, surrounds other phase (e.g.: metal,
ceramic, or polymer)
Reinforcement Phase: Fibers, Particles, or Flakes Also,
dispersed phase, discontinuous phase (e.g.: metal,
ceramic, or polymer)
Interface between matrix and reinforcement
Examples: Jello and cole slaw/mixed fruit
Peanut brittle
Straw in mud
Wood (cellulose fibers in hemicellulose and lignin)
Bones (soft protein collagen and hard apatite minerals)
Pearlite (ferrite and cementite)
Factors in Creating Composites
Factors in creating composites:
Matrix material
Reinforcement material
Ceramics: Ceramic materials are inorganic,
nonmetallic materials. Most ceramics are
compounds between metallic and nonmetallic
elements for which the interatomic bonds are either
totally ionic or predominantly ionic but having some
covalent character.
The term ceramic comes from the Greek word
keramikos, which means burnt stuff, indicating that
desirable properties of these materials are normally
achieved through a hightemperature heat treatment
process called firing.
The Main Characteristics Of
Composite Materials
(I) Heterogeneity: Non-uniformity of the
chemical/physical structure
(II) Anisotropy: Direction dependence of the physical
properties
(III) Symmetry: Tensorial nature of material properties
(IV) Hierarchy: Stacking of individual structural units
Moreover:
Interfacial properties - the interface may be regarded
as a third phase
Examples for composites
Fibre reinforced plastics:
Classified by type of fiber: Wood (cellulose fibers in a lignin and
hemicellulose matrix)
Carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CRP)
Glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) (informally,
"fiberglass")
Classified by matrix:
Thermoplastic Composites
short fiber thermoplastics
long fiber thermoplastics or long fiber reinforced
thermoplastics
glass mat thermoplastics
continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics
Thermoset Composites
Reinforced carbon-carbon (carbon fibre in a graphite matrix)
Metal matrix composites (MMCs):
White cast iron
Hardmetal (carbide in metal matrix)
Metal-intermetallic laminate
Ceramic matrix composites:
Bone (hydroxyapatite reinforced with collagen fibers)
Cermet (ceramic and metal)
Concrete
Organic matrix/ceramic aggregate composites
Asphalt concrete
Dental composite
Syntactic foam
Mother of Pearl
Classification of Composites
Composite materials are commonly classified at following two
distinct levels:
1. The first level of classification: is usually made with respect
to the matrix constituent. The major composite classes
include Organic Matrix Composites (OMCs), Metal Matrix
Composites (MMCs) and Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs).
The term organic matrix composite is generally assumed to
include two classes of composites, namely Polymer Matrix
Composites (PMCs) and carbon matrix composites commonly
referred to as carbon-carbon composites.
2. The second level of classification: refers to the
reinforcement form - fibre reinforced composites, laminar
composites and particulate composites. Fibre reinforced
composites can be further divided into those containing
discontinuous or continuous fibres.
Classification Based on
Reinforcements
Fiber Reinforced Composites/Fibre Reinforced
Polymer (FRP) Composites
Laminar Composites
Particulate Reinforced Composites (PRC)
Fibre Reinforced Composites are composed of fibres
embedded in matrix material. Such a composite is considered
to be a discontinuous fibre or short fibre composite if its
properties vary with fibre length. On the other hand, when the
length of the fibre is such that any further increase in length
does not further increase, the elastic modulus of the
composite, the composite is considered to be continuous fibre
reinforced. Fibres are small in diameter and when pushed
axially, they bend easily although they have very good tensile
properties. These fibres must be supported to keep individual
fibres from bending and buckling.
Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites: "A matrix of
polymeric material that is reinforced by fibers or other
reinforcing material.
Laminar Composites: are composed of layers of materials
held together by matrix. Sandwich structures fall under this
category.
Particulate Composites: are composed of particles
distributed or embedded in a matrix body. The particles
may be flakes or in powder form. Concrete and wood
particle boards are examples of this category.
Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs): A metal matrix
composite (MMC) is a type of composite material with at
least two constituent parts, one being a metal. The other
material may be a different metal or another material, such
as a ceramic or organic compound. When at least three
materials are present, it is called a hybrid composite. An
MMC is complementary to a cermet.
Role of Matrices in Composites

Transfer stresses between the fibers.
Provide a barrier against an adverse environment.
Protect the surface of the fibers from mechanical
abrasion.
Determine inter-laminar shear strength.
Determine damage tolerance of composites.
Determine in-plane shear strength.
Determine the processibility of composites.
Determine heat resistance of composites
Advantages of Composites
Summary of the advantages exhibited by composite materials,
which are of significant use in aerospace industry are as
follows:
High resistance to fatigue and corrosion degradation.
High strength or stiffness to weight ratio. As enumerated
above, weight savings are significant ranging from 25-45% of
the weight of conventional metallic designs.
Due to greater reliability, there are fewer inspections and
structural repairs.
Directional tailoring capabilities to meet the design
requirements. The fibre pattern can be laid in a manner that
will tailor the structure to efficiently sustain the applied loads.
Fibre to fibre redundant load path.
Improved dent resistance is normally achieved. Composite
panels do not sustain damage as easily as thin gage sheet
metals.
It is easier to achieve smooth aerodynamic profiles for drag
reduction. Complex double-curvature parts with a smooth
surface finish can be made in one manufacturing operation.
Composites offer improved torsional stiffness. This implies
high whirling speeds, reduced number of intermediate
bearings and supporting structural elements. The overall
part count and manufacturing & assembly costs are thus
reduced.
High resistance to impact damage.
Like metals, thermoplastics have indefinite shelf life.
Thermoplastics have rapid process cycles, making them
attractive for high volume commercial applications that
traditionally have been the domain of sheet metals.
Moreover, thermoplastics can also be reformed.
Composites are dimensionally stable i.e. they have low
thermal conductivity and low coefficient of thermal
expansion. Composite materials can be tailored to comply
with a broad range of thermal expansion design requirements
and to minimize thermal stresses.
Manufacture and assembly are simplified because of part
integration (joint/fastener reduction) thereby reducing cost.
The improved weather ability of composites in a marine
environment as well as their corrosion resistance and
durability reduce the down time for maintenance.