Fiber packing

V f max

0.785

V f max

2 3

0.906

Glass Fibers

In general, glass fibers have low specific modulus.

Low temperature usage only (<650 0C)

Glass fibers strength & modulus falls in humid air due to the adsorption
of water on the surface.

The strength of fibers is affected by damage occur due to rubbing

action between them during processing operations
KK Chawla, Composite materials, 2nd edition, 2012, Springer.

Type of Fibers
Fibers
Inorganic
fibers

Non-metallic
Inorganic
fibers

Ceramic
fibers
Oxide
ceramic
fibers

Glass
fibers

Non-oxide
ceramic
fibers

Organic
fibers
Metal
fibers

Carbon
fibers

Polymer
fibers

Metalloid
fibers

Allotropic forms of C:

Diamond SP3
Graphite SP2
Amorphous carbon mixed SP3/SP2
Carbyne (Linear acetylenic carbon) SP
Fullerene

Carbon Fibers
In-plane Youngs modulus (E) = ~1000 GPa

Modulus normal to the basal planes = ~35 GPa

Highly anisotropic

Types of carbon/graphite fibers based on

raw materials used for synthesizing

Structure of Graphite

Ex-Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers

Ex-Pitch fibers
Ex-Rayon fibers

KK Chawla, Composite materials, 2nd edition, 2012, Springer.

Carbon Fibers
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based fibers

6
Hull and Clyne, An introduction to composite materials, Cambridge press 2010.

Stabilization (250-300 0C),

carbonization (650-1500 0C)
7
0
graphitization (>1500 C).Bernd Clau, Fibers for ceramic matrix composites, CMC. Ed. Wlater Krenkel, Wiley-VCH 2008 .

Carbon Fibers

Perfect graphite
Turbostratic carbon/graphite

8
Bernd Clau, Fibers for ceramic matrix composites, CMC. Ed. Walter Krenkel, Wiley-VCH 2008 .

Carbon Fibers
Advantages
- Relatively low density (1.6-2.0 g cm-3)
- Very high specific strength and specific modulus
- High temperature resistance (up to 2500 0C) in nonoxidizing environment
- Good thermal conductivity
- Excellent chemical inertness
Disadvantages
- Expensive (high production temperatures involved)
- Poor oxidation resistance above 500 0C

Aramid Fibers

Kevlar and Nomex (DuPont) -Aromatic polyamide fibers

Bonding- Covalent bond, Hydrogen bond and van der
Waals bond
10

KK Chawla, Composite materials,

2nd

edition, 2012, Springer.

Aramid Fibers
Higher specific strength and specific modulus than glass
fibers (as density~1.4-1.6 g cm-3)
Good damping capacity
Poor properties in compression (kinking/buckling) and
under humid and visible & UV-light exposure

11

KK Chawla, Composite materials,

2nd

edition, 2012, Springer.

Aramid Fibers

K-29 (low E- for bullet proof vests)

K-49 (medium E- for light weight)
K-149 (high E- for structural applications)
KK Chawla, Composite materials, 2nd edition, 2012, Springer.

12