1. INTRODUCTION TO COMPOSITE MATERIALS
Carl Zweben, PhD
Life Fellow ASME
Fellow SAMPE and ASM
Associate Fellow, AIAA
Composites & Thermal Materials Consultant
62 Arlington Road
Devon, PA 19333-1538
Phone: 610-688-1772
E-mail: c.h.zweben@usa.net
http://sites.google.com/site/zwebenconsulting
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 1
2. The information in these slides is part of a short
course on composite materials that is presented
publicly and in-house
Contact author for information
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 2
3. OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Key fibers and composites
• Status of PMCs, MMCs, CAMCs, CMCs
• Applications
• Appendix
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 3
5. COMPOSITE MATERIAL
1. Two or more materials bonded together
(Anthony Kelly)
– Distinguishes composites from alloys
2. A material consisting of any combination of
fibers, whiskers and particles in a common
matrix
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 5
6. WHY COMPOSITES?
• High specific strength (strength/density)
• High specific modulus (modulus/density)
• Fatigue resistance
• Creep and creep rupture resistance
• Low, tailorable coefficient of thermal expansion
• High temperature capability
• Wear resistance
• Corrosion resistance
• Tailorable electrical conductivity
– Very low to very high
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 6
7. WHY COMPOSITES? (continued)
• Tailorable thermal conductivity
– very low to extremely high
• Tailorable mechanical and thermal properties
• Unique combinations of properties
• Great design flexibility
• Formable to complex shapes
• Low cost (some)
• Enabling technology for many applications, e.g.
– Lightweight vehicle and aerospace structures
– High-performance thermal management
– Lightweight optical systems
– Infrastructure repair
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 7
9. CLASSES OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS
REINFORCEMENT
Polymer Metal Ceramic Carbon
MATRIX
Polymer X X X X
Metal X X X X
Ceramic X X X X
Carbon X X X X
Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs)
Metal Matrix Composites (CMCs)
Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC)
Carbon Matrix Composites (CAMCs)
Carbon/Carbon Composites (CCCs)
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 9
10. REINFORCEMENTS
Discontinuous Fibers,
Continuous Fibers Whiskers
Particles Fabrics, Braids, etc.
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 10
11. TERMINOLOGY
• Advanced composite: composite with properties
superior to those of glass fiber-reinforced
polymer (GFRP)
• Specific property
– Absolute property divided by density (or
specific gravity, which is dimensionless)
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 11
12. BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPOSITES
• Straw--reinforced mud cited in Old Testament
– Organic fiber-reinforced CMC
• GFRP well established by 1950s
• R&D on advanced composites: CCCs, PMCs,
MMCs and CMCs started 1960s-1970s
• Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs)
became dominant advanced composites in 1970s
• CCCs established for thermal protection ~ 1970s
• MMCs used in specialty applications
– Automobile engines
– Electronics thermal management
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 12
13. BRIEF HISTORY OF COMPOSITES (continued)
• CMCs used in specialty applications
• GFRP most widely used composite, by far
• CFRP dominates high-performance applications
• Composites now baseline in numerous aerospace
and commercial applications
• Industrial applications now largest sector
– Everything except aerospace and sports
– Wind turbine blades, infrastructure, etc.
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14. COMMON TYPES OF LAMINATES
COMMON TYPES OF LAMINATES
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15. KEY FIBERS AND COMPOSITES
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16. KEY FIBERS
• Glass
– E-glass most widely used fiber by orders of
magnitude
– Others: high-strength, chemical-resistant
• Carbon
– Workhorse high-performance fibers
– Many types: polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pitch,
CVD, etc.)
• Boron
• Silicon carbide-based
• Alumina-based
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 16
17. KEY FIBERS (continued)
• High-modulus synthetic organics
– Aramid (aromatic polyamide)
– High density polyethylene
– PBO
– M5 PIPD
• Natural organic fibers, e.g.
• Flax, jute, hemp and kenaf, wood, etc.
• Basalt
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18. CARBON FIBER IMPROVEMENTS 1965 - 2005
1965** 2005
Max modulus, GPa (MSI) 380 (55) 965 (140)
Max tens str, GPa (KSI) 2.3 (330) 6.9 (1000)
No. of PAN-based fibers 3 Dozens
No. of pitch-based fibers 0 Many
Max therm cond, W/m.K 30 2000
Max fiber length 1m Continuous
Minimum cost $2000/Kg $16/Kg
** Carbon fibers were experimental in 1965
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20. SPECIFIC TENSILE STRENGTH vs SPECIFIC MODULUS
(Tensile strength/density vs. Modulus/density)
2500
Specific Tensile Strength (GPa)
UHS PAN C/Ep Unidirectional
Quasi-Isotropic
2000 E-Glass/Ep Aramid/Ep
Aluminum, Steel,
SM PAN C/Ep Titanium,
1500
Magnesium
1000
UHM PAN C/Ep
Boron/Ep
500
Be
UHM Pitch C/Ep
SiCp/Al
0
0 100 200 300
Specific Modulus (MPa)
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 20
26. STATUS OF COMPOSITES
• PMCs workhorse materials for structures
– Wide range of commercial and aerospace
applications
– E-glass and carbon key fibers
– Thermosets key resins
– Increasing use of thermoplastics
– Natural fibers in automotive secondary parts
– Nanoclay/thermoplastics in automobiles
• Carbon matrix composites
– CCCs well established for thermal protection
– SiC/carbon in aircraft engine parts
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 26
27. STATUS OF COMPOSITES (cont.)
• CMCs
– Challenging CAMCs
– Limited, but significant use
• MMCs
– Cermets (ceramic/metal) widely used
• E.g. “tungsten carbide” cutting tools
– Used in Honda and Toyota auto engines
– Limited use of fiber- and particle-reinforced
materials in structures and machine parts
– Transmission lines in early production
– Widely used in electronic packaging
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 27
44. TERMINOLOGY
• Homogeneous
– Properties constant throughout material
• Heterogeneous
– Properties vary throughout material
– E.g. different in matrix and reinforcement
– Composites always heterogeneous
• Isotropic
– Properties the same in every direction
– Particulate composites can be isotropic
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 44
45. TERMINOLOGY (continued)
• Anisotropic
– Properties vary with direction
– Fiber-reinforced materials typically anisotropic
– May be inplane isotropic (transversely
isotropic)
• Specific property
– Absolute property divided by density (or
specific gravity, which is dimensionless)
Copyright Carl Zweben 2010 Slide 45
