HANDBOOK OF COMPOSITES Edited by George Lubin CONSULTANT Formerly—Chief Scientist Grumman Aerospace Corporation Sponsored by the Society of Plastics Engineers VAN NOSTRAND REINHOLD New YorkeTo BEATRICE CARYN GLENDA SHIRLEY TERRI Copyright © 1982 by Van Nostrand Reinhold Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 81-10341 ISBN 0-442-24897-0 All rights reserved. Certain portions of this work copyright © 1969 by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic ‘or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems— without written permission of the publisher. Manufactured in the United States of America ‘Van Nostrand Reinhold 5 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10003 (Chapman & Hall 2-6 Boundary Row Lonxion SEI SHN, England ‘Thomas Nelson Australia 102 Dodds Steet ‘South Melboume, Victoria 3205, Australia Nelson Canada 1120 Birchmount Road Scarborough, Ontario MIK SG4, Canada 1S 14 13:12 11 1098765 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Main entry under title: Handbook of composites. (A Society of Plastics Engineers technical monograph) A follow on text to Handbook of fiberglass and advanced plastics composites. 1969. Includes index. 1. Composite materials—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Fibrous composites—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Lubin, George. I, Handbook of fiberglass and advanced plastics composites. UII. Series: Society of Plastics Engineers technical monograph. TA418.9.C6H33 1981 620.118 81-1034t ISBN 0-442-24897-0FOREWORD The development of advanced composites, spanning a brief period from inception to application of only 15 to 20 years, epitomizes the rapidity with which a generation's change in the state-of-the-art can take place. This isin marked contrast to past history, in which it has usually required 25 years or more of research before a new structural material was technologically ready. In the mid-1950's the U.S. Air Force identi- fied the promise for early application of a new class of materials—advanced composites— and established its feasibility by the fabrication of raw fiber with exceptional strength- and modulus-to-weight ratios. The practical fabrica- tion of boron and graphite fibers was essential to the development of advanced composite materials. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Air Force then sponsored research and tech- nology programs, which led first to flight demonstrations and then to practical applica- tions of advanced composites in production aircraft and space vehicles (starting about 1970). Thus, we have spanned the period from a laboratory concept toa practical production material in a shorter period of time than ever before achieved. In contrast, the introduction of aluminum into aircraft took over 30 years, and 40 years later we are still learning how to design rationally with this metal. The aerospace applications of advanced composites, though still in their infancy, en- compass military and civil aircraft, missiles, launch vehicles, and spacecraft. I believe that the future holds a continued growth in the use of advanced composites by the aerospace industry. For example, aircraft applications, such as those in the Boeing 767, are just beginning in commercial transports after early experience in military aircraft. However, the largest future use is likely to be in new, lighter weight automobiles to reduce fuel consump- tion. Forecasts indicate that the potential usage in automobiles in the early 1990's will amount to millions of pounds of advanced composites. We find ourselves in a peculiar position. The hardware capability is progressing so rapidly that the knowledge and familiarity of the designer can hardly keep pace, We have an obligation now not just to mature this ad- vanced technology and its applications, but also to communicate the state-of-the-art to the designer in a form in which it can be applied readily to practical structures. I believe that this book, Handbook of Composites, will clearly provide a portion of this missing link. The obligation of the research community in a world whose technology changes so rapidly must transcend the traditional roles of the research scientist and engineer. It is no longer sufficient to bring the level of tech- nology to the edge of the laboratory work- bench and expect designers to recognize their potential in the clutter of experimental ap- paratus and research reports. The researcher must support those application-oriented pro- grams that reduce the risk of applying new technology, so that it can be embodied in new products ina minimum amount of time. In the case of composites, the Government has sup- ported not only the basic research in polymer chemistry leading to improved composite properties or environmental resistance, but also manufacturing research and application- verification programs, such as those contained in many U.S. Air Force and NASA studies of the last several years. However, even these research programs are insufficient. It takes senior designers 15 to 20 years to acquire the skill to design with the materials of their industry. It follows that the transition from one structural material to another will be restricted by the number of designers and analysts who are proficient in applying the v