Composite Materials

Fabric structure and Resin

Fall 2019 Dr. Ehsan Barjasteh

 Basic Material forms
 Continuous fibers (or filaments) can be in the forms of:
 Tow (or strand)

◼ Number of untwisted filaments manufactured at one time

◼ Expressed as xK
◼ e.g. 12K consists of 12,000 filaments

 Roving

◼ Number of untwisted tows or strands collected into a parallel

bundle
 Yarn

◼ Twist binder for better handability and makes weaving process

easier
◼ Reduce the strength

 Tape

◼ Large number of parallel filaments held together with an organic

matrix, 6-60” wide, 0.005-0,015” thick 2
Fabric Structures

 Woven fabrics
 Series of Interlaced yarns at 0° and 90°
 Braids
 Series of Intertwined and Spiral Yarns
 Knitted fabrics
 Series of Interlooped Yarns
 Stitched fabrics (non-crimp fabrics)
 unidirectional layers stitched together
 Bonded/felted fabrics
 Fibers hold together either mechanically, chemically, or thermally
bonded
Woven Cloth
 Basic woven fabrics made of two orthogonal sets of
yarns interlaced at right angles (typically 0o and 90o)

 Fabric Properties
◆ Construction (ends & picks)
◆ Weight
◆ Thickness
◆ Weave Type

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Woven Cloth
❑ Warp direction: parallel to the length of the roll
❑ Fill, welf or woof direction: Perpendicular to the length of the roll
❑ The fabric is designated by areal weight normally grams/square
metre (gsm)

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Plain Weave
 Every warp and fill placed alternatively over and under
 most interlaces, and hence the tightest (high crimp)
 Most resistance to in-plane shear hence resistance to distortion
during handling (low drape)
 Hard to form complex shape, most difficult to wet-out, high crimp
reduced the strength and stiffness of composite part

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Twill Weave
 Better drapability than plain weave
 Good wet-out during impregnation

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Satin Weave
 Minimum interlacing, hence less in-plane shear resistance (low
crimp)
 Higher strength then plain weave
 Available in 4HS, 5HS, and 8HS

5HS Satin Weave

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Overview of biaxial weaving

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Overview

 Plain
 high crimp, poor mechanical properties
 Twill
 intermediate properties
 Satin
 low crimp, good mechanical properties
Role of Polymer Matrix in Composites

 Bind fibers together

 Protect fibers from environment
 Transfer loads
 Provides toughness, damage tolerance, and
impact and abrasion resistance to composite
 Determine:
 Maximum use temperature
 Resistance to moisture and fluids

 Thermal and oxidative stability

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To select a Matric, consider:

❑ End Use Temperature

❑ Toughness

❑ Cosmetic Issues

❑ Flame Retardant

❑ Processing Method

❑ Adhesion Requirements
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Thermosets for advanced composites

 Polyesters
 Vinyl esters
 Epoxies
 Bismaleimides
 Cynate esters
 Polyimides
 Phenolics

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 Polyesters
 Extremely used in commercial applications, and limited use in high performance
composites
 Advantage over espies:
 Cheap, RT or elevated temperature cure
 Disadvantageous:
 Lower temperature capability, lower mechanical properties, high shrinkage
 Poly addition cure:
 Unsaturated Polyester (A)
 Crosslinking agent (e,g. Styrene) (B)
◼ To improve X-linking and lower the viscosity of mixture

 Initiator, usually peroxide (e.g. benzoyl Peroxide (BPO))

 A:B ratio controls crosslinking
 $1.5-2.5/kg

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Vinyl esters
 Similar to polyesters
 Reactive groups are at
the end of molecular
chain
 Normally tougher
than highly x-linked
polyester
 More resistance to
degradation from
water and moisture
 Up to $4/kg

 Approaching to
epoxies

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Epoxies
 Most common matrix for high performance composites

 Excellent combination of strength, adhesion, low shrinkage and processing

versatility

 Epoxies have improved strength and stiffness properties over polyesters

 Epoxies offer excellent corrosion resistance and resistance to solvents and

alkalis

 Cure cycles are usually longer than polyesters, however no by-products

are produced

 Utilization of additives and fillers results in felexibility and improved performance

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 Bismaleimides

❑ Temperature between epoxy and polyimide, dry Tg ranges from 430oF to 600oF
❑ Polyaddition reaction at 350oF with free-stand post cure at 450-475oF
❑ BMI contains “imide” groups and made from reaction of diamine with maleic anhydride
❑ Brittle

❑ Polymerization:
❑ Homopolymerization; very brittle
❑ Copolymerization with diamine; more flexible

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Cyanate esters
❑ Dry Tg ranging from 375oF to 550oF
❑ Very low dielectric loss, like antennas
❑ Limited market, therefore expensive
❑ Lower moisture pick up than epoxies and BMI
and inherently flame resistance

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 Polyimides

❑ High temperature matrix for usage T as high as 500-600oF

❑ Can be thermoplastic or thermoset
❑ Avmid K polymers: thermoplastic
❑ Torlans polyamideimide: thermoplastic
❑ Hard to process compare to epoxy and BMI

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Phenolics

❑ Excellent Flame, Smoke, Toxicity (FST)

❑ Made from condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde
❑ Very brittle
❑ Large Shrinkage during cure
❑ Generate waters upon the cure

Phenol + Formaldehyde =>

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Question

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