UNIT-III

Metal Matrix Composites

Lecture-6

10/4/2017 1
 Metal Matrix Composites
Characteristics of MMCs, Various types of Metal matrix
composites,
Effect of reinforcements on properties
Volume fraction Rule of mixtures,
Liquid state processing- stir casting, squeeze casting
infiltration,
solid state processing - Powder metallurgy, diffusion bonding,
In situ processes, applications of MMCs
 Polymer Matrix Composites

Syllabus
Processing of polymer matrix composites

Volume fraction
Hand lay-up, Spray lay-up processes,
Compression molding-
SMC Reinforced reaction injection molding,
Resin transfer molding,
Pultrusion, Filament winding,
Applications of polymer matrix composites
How much fibre?
 How much reinforcement?
Weight fraction-Used in manufacture.
May refer to fibre or resin - 'GRP' manufacturers will specify a
glass content of (e.g.) 25 wt%; a prepreg supplier might give
a resin content of 34 wt%.

Volume fraction

Used in design to calculate composite properties. Almost

always refers to fibre content.
 Weight fraction volume fraction
conversion

For the special case of a two-component composite

(eg fibre and matrix):

Wf / f
Vf
Wf / f (1 Wf ) / m

fVf
Wf
fVf m (1 Vf )
 Volume fraction - weight fraction conversion
(epoxy resin matrix)

1
fibre volume fraction

0.8
glass
0.6
HS carbon
0.4
aramid
0.2

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
fibre weight fraction
 Maximum fibre volume fraction

Theoretically, a unidirectional fibre composite could have

Vf 90%.
In practice, fibres cannot be perfectly aligned.

Maximum volume fraction depends both on the fibre

form and method of manufacture - for a unidirectional fibre
composite:
Vf 60-70%.
 Maximum fibre volume fraction
For other forms of reinforcement, maximum volume
fraction also depends on the detailed arrangement of the
fibres.
The following values are typical:

stitched non-crimp 0.6

woven fabric 0.4 - 0.55
random
(chopped strand mat) 0.15 - 0.25
 Laminate thickness
Two laminates, both containing 5 plies of reinforcement:

high matrix content low matrix content

low fibre content high fibre content
= thick laminate = thin laminate
 Laminate thickness

Fibre volume fraction is thus inversely proportional to

laminate thickness.

If the fibre content and If the fibre content and volume

laminate thickness are fraction are defined, we can
defined, we can calculate the calculate the laminate thickness:
fibre volume fraction:

nAw
Vf
nAw d
f d fVf
Rule of Mixtures
Rule of Mixtures