Composite Materials
Composite Materials
Composite Materials
PROF. R. VELMURUGAN
Lectures 3 to 5
Module I - Applications
Applications
Nowadays there is no field of engineering without the foot-print of composite materials in
some form. The following list is not the exhaustive list but to name a few. The application of
composite materials can be broadly classified in to
Aerospace applications
Road and Rail transport applications
Offshore accord water vehicles
Building and other civil structures
Chemical Industries
Electrical, Electronics and communication applications
Mechanical systems and machine elements
Consumer durable products and sports applications
Biomedical applications
High performance composites being costlier, is used mostly in defense applications where
the performance is given high priority and not the cost.
Aircraft and military applications:
The aerospace vehicles can be classified in to
1) Aircraft
2) Rockets and Missiles
3) Space crafts
Composites are mostly used in aerospace vehicles due to weight saving, high strength to
weight ratio, high stiffness to weight ratio, and low fuel consumption. Fuel consumption is
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controlled by reducing the weight of the structure by using proper design criterion and by
providing the aerodynamic shape to the structure. The most commonly used materials for
weight reduction are some light weight metals and the alloys. Due to the increased speed,
increase in usage and other specific requirements, new materials are essential and
composite materials become the right choice. The primary advantage of composite
materials is that these materials can be tailor made to meet any specific requirement and
any complex shape can be easily made with composites. Few examples of aircraft and
structural parts of aircraft which made use of composites is illustrated in the following
pages.
Composites are used since weight reduction is very much critical for higher speeds.
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Airbus
was
the
first
commercial
aircraft
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Automotive applications
Based on the usage and shape the automobile vehicles, the automobile structure can
be grouped in to three categories which include;
Chassis components
Body components
Engine components
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Composites are used in all the three major parts of the vehicles.
Composites are used in automobile industries due to the following reasons:
1) High specific strength (strength to weight ratio), due to which there is improvement in fuel
efficiency.
2) Low wear and dear due to vibrations
3) Attractive styling
4) High resistance to damage
5) High resistance to corrosion, bio-degradation and extreme environmental conditions.
6) High thermal insulation and sound deadening properties
7) Easy repairing and maintenance free structural elements
E-glass fiber-reinforced sheet molding compound composites are used in the hood or door
panels, radiator supports, bumper beams, roof frames, door frames, engine valve covers,
timing chain covers, oil pans etc. Unileaf E-glass fiber-reinforced epoxy springs are used in
place of multileaf steel springs.
In buses and trucks the GFRP composites are used to make, bus bodies, Roof panel, Engine
Bonnet, Tail gates, mud wings, bumper bars, Window frames, doors, front grills and dash
boards.
In cars the parts of car body, head lamp, rear window frame, tail lamp skirts,
instrument panel, leaf spring and cabins are made of composites.
The body of refrigerated containers, petrol tankers, chemical tankers and milk tankers are made
of composite panels.
In railways the parts of wash basin, battery box, seat and back rest, bathroom cubicles, window
frames, guides, louvers, under carriage water tank and vacuum reservoirs are made of
composite materials.
For all these applications mostly Glass reinforced composite products are used due to low cost
and easy availability. Also the structural elements are mostly less stressed and hence glass
fibers with polyester or Vinylester resins are used for these applications. The processing
techniques are mostly Hand layup technique and compression moulding techniques for making
these products.
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(Source : www.en.wikipedia.org)
Like automotives, in railways also the following sections of train use composite materials.
o Wagons
o Fronts of power units
o Doors, seats, interior panels
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Marine applications:
Glass fiber composites are widely used in marine applications due to the following reasons:
1) Most of the conventionally used metals get corroded easily and timber and other natural
materials decay quickly and glass fiber composites on the other hand has high corrosion
resistant and can provide maintenance free service for longer duration.
2) GFRP boat hulls are maintenance free
3) Most of the complex shapes which provide buoyancy effect can be easily made.
4) GFRP boats can be made with less number of joints and structural elements and they are
cost competitive.
5) Repair of composite products are easier
6) GFRP products are very light with high strength and stiffness and hence better substitute
for steel materials.
Glass fiber-reinforced polyesters are used in sail boats, fishing boats, life boats,
anti-marine ships, rescue crafts, hovercrafts and yachts. Due to higher strength of kevlar-49 fibers,
these fibers are nowadays used for making boat hulls, decks, bulkheads, frames, masts and spars.
Carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy is used in racing boats. Composites are used in naval ships, hulls,
decks, bulkheads, masts, propulsion shafts, rudders, hunters, frigates, destroyers etc. Royal
Swedish Navy is the largest composite ship producers in the world.
Most of the offshore structures which are made by composite materials include
Building elements in the harbor
Buoys of different types and
Light houses
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Sporting goods
Due to light weight, high dampingproperties and design flexibility, FRC are widely
used in making the following sports goods:
Tennis and squash rackets
o Skis, Fishing rods
o Hockey sticks
o Arrows, Javelins
o Baseball bats
o Helmets
o Exercise equipments
o Athletic shoe soles and heels
Golf rackets are nowadays made of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy due to its light weight.
Glass fiber-reinforced epoxy is preferred over wood and aluminum in pole-vault poles because
of its high strain energy storage capacity.
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Space shuttle
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Figure 1.4e
Figure 1.4e: Ribs and Spars made by resin film infusion (Source : comptec,
I.I.T. Madras)
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Infrastructure
Due to non-corrosion character, FRC is used in bridge construction. Due to light
weight, FRC is preferred for constructing large bridges. Other areas in which composites
are widely used, include
o Buildings
o Other civil structures
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Figure 1.4i4 composite tubes and sheets (Source : comptec, I.I.T. Madras)
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Figure 1.4i5 jute fiber home model (Source : comptec, I.I.T. Madras)
Figure 1.4i6 fiber tables and chairs (Source : comptec, I.I.T. Madras)
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Thermosets are mainly used because of their adaptability to fabrication of large products.
50% to 2/3rd of GRP produced in India is used for the corrosive resistant product
manufacture.
APPLICATIONS
Reactors
Boiling tubs
Towers and columns
Distillation column
Cooling towers
Centrifugal pumps
Fans and blowers
Misc. Applications
Electroplating equipment
Photographic trays
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GRP have properties like electrical insulation with high strength and light
weight.
GRP provides radio transparency and are easily mouldable to any shape.
APPLICATIONS
ELECTRICAL APPLICATIONS
Cable ducts
Switch activators
Electrical separators
Activator cases
Electronic applications
Electromagnetic antennas
Radomes
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PEEK Composite
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Figure 1.4m2 The parts of human leg being replaced by composites (Source : comptec,
I.I.T. Madras)
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