What are composites?

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 Function of Fiber v/s Matrix

Sham Gurav 2
 Function of Fiber v/s Matrix

 Fibers
 Carry load (70 – 90 % load)
 Provide stiffness, strength, thermal stability
 Resin
 Binding and shaping
 Load transfer between fibers

Sham Gurav 3
 Direction dependent properties of fibers

Fiber direction Transverse direction Transverse direction

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 Types of fibers based on size

 Short
 Long

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 Types of long fibers

 Unidimensional: unidirectional tows, yarns or tapes

 Bidimensional: woven or nonwoven fabrics (felts or mats)
 Tridimensional: Fabrics with fibers along many directions

Sham Gurav 6
 Types of fibers: Natural v/s Artificial

 Natural Fibers
 Animal: Wool, Silk, Hair
 Mineral: Asbestos, Basalt
 Plants: Flax, Hemp, Jute, Sisal, Cotton
 Artificial Fibers
 Glass (cheaper)
 Carbon (high modulus or high strength)
 Aramid or Kevlar (very light)
 Boron (high modulus or high strength)
 Silicon Carbide (high temperature resistant)
 Steel

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 Types of fibers
Carbon Fiber Basalt Fiber
Glass Fiber

Aramid Fiber Hemp Fiber

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 Types of matrix

 Polymeric
 Thermoplastic: polypropylene, polyphenylene, polyamide,
polyetheretherketone
 Thermoset: epoxy, poly-esters, phenolics, melamine, silicones,
polyurethanes
 Mineral
 Silicon carbide, carbon
 Metallic
 Aluminum alloys, titanium alloys

Sham Gurav 9
 Types of composite structure

 Laminate

 Sandwich

Sham Gurav 10
 Laminated Composites

 Laminated Fibrous Composites

 Multiple layers of thin lamina (unidirectional fiber)
 Lamina placed with different fiber orientation in each layer
 Tailored stiffness and strength in various directions
 Bimetals: Two Different Metals
 Clad Metals: Cladding of one Metal over another

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 Sandwich Composites

 Top & Bottom Fiber Skin + Lightweight Core

 Skin: Tension & Compression
 Core: Shear
 Large increase in MI & Stiffness due to thick core

Core
Flange
Web

Skin

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 Sandwich Composites
Case - I Case - II Case - III
t 2t
4t

Case I II III
Stiffness 1.0 7.0 37.0
Flexural 1.O 3.5 9.2
Strength
Weight 1.0 1.03 1.06

Skin

Core

Bending Stress Shear Stress

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 Honeycomb Core for Sandwich Composites

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 Classification of Composites
Glass
Ceramics Metal matrix Chopped
Carbon, Graphite
Continuous
Aramid

Boron
Laminate
Structural
Composites
Animal: Wool, Silk, Hair Sandwich

Plant: Flax, Hemp, Cotton Random

Preferred
Mineral: Asbestos, Basalt

Thermoplastic Thermoset

Short fiber Continuous fiber Short fiber Continuous fiber

SMC, BMC, RTM, Pultrusion, Injection molding, Compression molding,

Spray-up Filament winding, Blow molding Tape winding,
Injection molding Hand lay-up Diaphragm forming

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 Material Properties: Metals

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 Material Properties: Fibers

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 Material Properties: Matrix

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 Material Properties: Core

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 Comparison of Material Properties

Comparison of Properties: Elastic Modulus

450
Fibers
Elastic Modulus (GPa)

400
350
300 Metals
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Matrix
Densty (Kg/m3)

Sham Gurav 20
 Comparison of Material Properties

Comparison of Properties: Tensile Strength

Tensile Strength (MPa)

4000
Fibers
3500
3000
2500 Metals
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Matrix Density (Kg/m3)

Sham Gurav 21
 Comparison of Engineering Properties

Graphite-Polymer Glass-Polyer Aluminum

Property Composite Composite Steel Alloys
E1 155 50 200 70
E2 12 15 200 70
E3 12 15 200 70
 12 0.458 0.428 0.3 0.3
 23 0.248 0.254 0.3 0.3
 13 0.248 0.254 0.3 0.3
G12 4.40 4.70 79 27
G23 3.20 3.28 79 27
G13 4.40 4.70 79 27

All properties are in GPa

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 References

 Composite Materials: Design and Applications, D. Gay, S. V. Hoa and S.

W. Tsai, CRC Press, 2003.
 Mechanics of Composite Materials, A. K. Kaw, 2nd Edition, CRC Press,
2006.
 Analysis and Performance of Fiber Composites, B. D. Agarwal, L. J.
Broutman and K. Chandrashekhara, 3rd Edition, Wiley, 2006.
 Mechanics of Composite Materials, R. M. Jones, 2nd Edition, Taylor and
Francis, 1999.
 Stress Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials, M. W. Hyer,
The McGraw-Hill, 1998.
 Composites Manufacturing: Materials, Product and Process Engineering,
S. K. Mazumdar, CRC Press, 2002.
 New Composite Materials: Selection, Design and Application, D. Brigante,
Springer, 2014.
 Composite Airframe Structures, M. C. Y. Niu, Hong Kong Conmilit Press
Ltd., 1992
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