Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 1

AERO 4300 Aerospace Composites

Lecture 1 – Introduction to composites

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 2

What are composites?

Definition:

Material consisting of two or more constituent materials where

each constituent material maintains its integrity and where the

resulting composite has properties which are distinctively

different form its constituents.

Examples of composites:

• Nano-composite (e.g. CNT & polymer)

• Biocomposites

• Metal/metal composites

• Ceramic composites

• Sintered materials

• ….

Example: Ceramic composite (http://www.htl.fraunhofer.de/en/Competences/ceramic-

composites/composite-material-development/_jcr_content/stage/image.img.jpg/Mikrostruktur-Ceramic-Matrix-

Composites.1432287597122.jpg)

Example: CNT/Metal

composite (http://www.azonano.com/images/Article_Images/ImageForA

rticle_3149(1).jpg)

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 3

Fibre reinforced plastics

Composites in the context of AERO 4300:

= Fibre reinforced plastics (FRPs)

= polymer matrix fibre composites

Examples of composite applications?

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 4

Fibre reinforced plastics

Composites in the context of AERO 4300:

= Fibre reinforced plastics (FRPs)

= polymer matrix fibre composites

Examples of composite applications

• Aerospace

• Armour

• Wood plastic composites

• Automotive

• Boats

• Building and construction

• Sporting equipment

• Medical devices

• Robotics

• Space

• O&G

• Mobile phone covers

• Furniture

• Watch dials

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 5

Fibre reinforced plastics

• Matrix = Plastic = Polymer

– Thermoset (e.g. Epoxy, VE)

– Thermoplastic (e.g. PA6, PEEK)

• Reinforcement = Fibrous

– Manmade fibres (e.g. Glass, Carbon,

Aramid)

– Natural fibres (e.g. Plant fibres)

• Composite systems/components

– Sandwich materials

– Function integration

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 6

Composite applications

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 7

Why FRPs?

Application examples:

– Motor sports

– Aerospace

– O&G

– Wind turbines

– Sports equipment

– Armour

– Train front

– Wood plastic composites

– Composite bridge

reinforcements

– Space

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 8

Why FRPs?

Application examples:

– Motor sports

– Aerospace

– O&G

– Wind turbines

– Sports equipment

– Armour

– Train front

– Wood plastic composites

– Composite bridge

reinforcements

– Space

Reasons for use:

– Weight specific stiffness

– Weight specific strength

– Corrosion resistance

– Design freedom

– Aspiration

– Cost

– Manufacturability

– Sustainability

– Unique mechanical/ thermal

properties

– Thermal expansion

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 9

Industry trend

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 10

Industry trend

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 11

Industry trend

Automotive

• High volume

manufacturing

• Short cycle time

• Low carbon

footprint

• Light weighting

Aerospace

• High volume

manufacturing

• Short cycle time

• Low carbon

footprint

• Light weighting

Building &

Construction

• Large structures

• Commodity

structures

• Low carbon

footprint

• Moveable/temp.

dwellings

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 12

Composites in Aerospace

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 13

Composite usage Boeing 787

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 14

Characteristic properties

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 15

Characteristic properties

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 16

Characteristic properties

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 17

Characteristic properties

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 18

Effect of fibre length

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 19

Nexus between material, design and

manufacturing

“Unholy Trinity”:

between manufacturing, material and design

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f07HpUAuWgkDesign

ManufacturingMaterial

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 20

Recommended resources

• M.F. Ashby, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, Butterworth Heinemann, 2011.

• A. Baker, S. Dutton, D. Kelly (Eds.), Composite Materials for Aircraft Structures, American

Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston, 2004 (New Volume coming soon!)

• E.J. Barbero, Introduction to Composite Materials Design, CRC Press, 2011.

• H. Buhl, Advanced Aerospace Materials, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1992.

• F.C. Campbell, Manufacturing Processes for Advanced Composites, Elsevier Ltd. 2004.

• B. Cantor, H. Assender and P. Grant (Eds.), Aerospace Materials, Institute of Physics

Publishing, Bristol, 2001

• R.F. Gibson, Principles of C omposite Material Mechanics, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2007.

• C.T. Herakovich, Mechanics of Fibrous C omposites, John Wiley & Sons, 1998.

• P.K. Mallick. Fiber-reinforced composites – Materials, Manufacturing, and Design, Third Edition,

CRC Press 2008.

• Composite materials handbook, HDBK17 (V1-3).

– https://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/dept/pse/resources/fulltext/HDBK17-1F.pdf

– https://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/dept/pse/resources/fulltext/HDBK17-2F.pdf

– https://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/dept/pse/resources/fulltext/HDBK17-3F.pdf

• ASM Handbook V21 Composites (~4kg of composite goodness!)

Dr. Michael HeitzmannAERO 4300 21

Take home message/need to know

• Composite materials offer unique properties to

solve many challenging engineering problems

• The motivation to use composites can be very

diverse and strength, stiffness or weight are not the

only considerations

• Fibre reinforced plastics consist of at least two

constituents: Matrix and fibres

• Understand key composite applications

• Start to understand nexus between manufacturing,

design and material