Mechanics of Composite Materials

Vocabulary flashcards related to composite materials.

Composite Material (General)

Combination of two or more materials formed to obtain some useful new material or specific material property.

Composite Material (ASTM D 3878-95c)

A substance consisting of two or more materials, insoluble in one another, which are combined to form a useful engineering material possessing certain properties not possessed by the constituents.

Reinforcing Phase

Material in a composite in the form of fibers, sheets, or particles.

Matrix Phase

Material in a composite that surrounds and binds the reinforcing phase.

Matrix

Transfers load to reinforcement, provides temperature resistance, and chemical resistance.

Reinforcement

Provides tensile properties, stiffness, and impact resistance.

Fibrous Composite

Either continuous (long or chopped whiskers) suspended in a matrix material.

Particulate Composite

Composed of particles suspended in a matrix material.

Flake Composite

Composed of flakes, which have large ratios of platform area to thickness, and are suspended in a matrix material.

Laminar Composite

Composed of layers (lamina) bonded together by a matrix material.

Glass Fiber (in Composites)

Most common and least expensive, high strength, low stiffness, and high density. (GFRP consists of 30-60% glass fibers by volume.)

Carbon Fiber (in Composites)

More expensive than glass fibers, but lower density and higher stiffness with high strength. (CFRP)

Aramid (Kevlar) Fiber (in Composites)

Highest specific strength, toughest fiber, undergoes plastic deformation before fracture, but absorbs moisture, and is expensive.

Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC)

A composite where the matrix material is a polymer.

Metal Matrix Composites (MMC)

A composite where the matrix material is a metal.

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC)

A composite where the matrix material is a ceramic.

Thermoset Resins

Become cross-linked during cure resulting in a final rigid configuration, advantageous for high temperature applications.

Thermoplastic Resins

Processed at higher temperatures and remain plastic, can be reheated and reshaped; operating temperature should be kept below the cure temperature.

Laminating

Material is molded under pressure into shapes, excellent dimensional stability, very economical in large production of parts.

Pultrusion

Continuous production of simple shapes, high output possible.

Filament winding

Continuous, reinforced filaments are saturated with resin and machine wound, high strength reinforcements can be oriented precisely where strength is required.