Fibre-reinforced composites manufacture

Fibre-reinforced composite manufacture - with all of the major types of reinforcing materials. Used widely in the electronics Industry, structural panelling (often flame retardant applications) and decorative laminates for furniture. 

Meng Hou, Lin Ye and Yiu-Wing Mai, Advances in processing of continuous fibre reinforced composites Plastics, Rubber and Composites Proc. ondAppL, 23, 5 (1995) pp. 279-292. Mitchell, P. (ed.) Tool and Manufacturing Engineers Handltook, Vol 8, 4th ition, Soc. Man. Eng., Michigan (1996). 

In the manufacture of engines turbine blades, bearings and plungers are made of ceramics. The materials used here are cordierite, Li-A1 silicate, mullite, titanate, SiC, A1203, Zr02, certain nitrides as well as particles- and fibre-reinforced composites and layered composites. 

Textile structures are not just limited to the apparel sector they have moved into equipment as well, especially with composite structures such as carbon fibre reinforced composites and novel textile construction. Methods such as 3D weaving and tailored fibre placement have meant that complex structures can be manufactured with specific geometry and physical properties. 

Weinert K, Kempmann C (2005) Comparing drilling and circular milling for the drill hole manufacture of fibre reinforced composites. Prod Eng - Res Dev 12(2) 1-4... 

R. Weiss, Caibon Fibre Reinforced CMCs Manufacture, Properties, Oxidation Protection, High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites ( jAs. W. Krenkel, R. Naslain, H. Schneider), WILEY-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, (2001), p. 440-456. 

Grassi, M., Zhang, X., and Meo, M. (2002) Prediction of stiffness and stresses in z-fibre reinforced composite laminates. Composites Part A Applied Science and Manufacturing, 33 (12), 1653-1664. 

P. K. Malliek, Fibre-Reinforced Composites Materials, Manufacturing, and Design, 3rd ed., CRC Press, New York, 2007. 

Hepworth DG, Hobson RN, Bruce DM, Farrent JW (2000) The use of unretted hemp fibre in composite manufacture. Compos A 31 1279-1283 Idicula M, Boudenne A, Umadevi L, Ibos L, Candau Y, Thomas S (2006) Thermophysical properties of natural fibre reinforced polyester composites. Compos Sci Technol 66 2719-2725 Ioffe R, Andersons J, Wallstrom L (2003) Strength and adhesimt characteristics of elementary flax fibers with different surface treatments. Compos A 34 603-612 John MJ, Anandjiwala RD (2008) Recent developments in chemical modification and characterization of natural fiber-reinforced composites. Polym Compos 29 187-207 John MJ, Anandjiwala RD, Thomas S (2009) Hybrid cranposites. In Thomas S, Pothan LA (eds) Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites macro to nanoscale. Old City, Philadelphia, pp 315-328... 

Investigations have shown that it is possible to manufacture all-natural composites using hemp and flax fibres using soy oil resins [14]. The tensile and flexural properties of the resins were shown to be improved by the addition of the fibres as observed for regular thermoset resins. However, this type of composite gave lower values than polymer-natural fibre-reinforced composites. Wollerdorfer and Bader [15] made similar observations for different all-natural composites using soya resins. Researchers [16] have reported studies on the properties of composites from hemp non-woven mats and polyester resin. The authors observed that mechanical properties were found to reach maximum at a fibre loading of 30%. 

Of late many of the major car manufacturers now use biocomposites in various applications, e.g., door trim panels made of polyurethane (PU)-flax/sisal mat in Audi A2 midrange car jute-based door panels in Mercedes E-class polyester-cotton fibres in Trabant car under floor protection trim of Mercedes A class made from banana fibre-reinforced composites and the Mercedes S class automotive components made from different bio-fibre-reinforced composites. All these so-called biocomposites use natural fibres but the resin matrix is always an oil-derived synthetic material. 

Daimler Chrysler has been increasing its research and development in flax-reinforced polyester composites for exterior applications for a number of years now [80]. Mercedes also used jute-based door panels in its E-class vehicles in 1996 [81]. Cotton fibres embedded in polyester matrix were used in the body of the East German Trabant car [82]. Some other applications are on Mercedes A and S class mamade from different bio-fibre-reinforced composites [83], Lotus manufactured Eco Elise bodyworks which contains hemp fibres, while sisal fibres are used for interior trimmings while the inner door panels for the BMW 7 Series contain 70% of sisal fibres. Plant fibre-reinforced polylactic acid composites with improved rigidity and reduced processing times have been applied in the Toyota Lexus HS250h hybrid vehicle recently. 

Murakami, S., Manabe, K., Miyao, M., Enomoto, M., Ishida, Y. and Inoue, H. (Toa Nenryo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha) (1994), Carbon fibre-reinforced composite resin pultrusion products and method of manufacturing the same, EP0308237 Bl, 10 August 1994. 

The benefits offered by fibre-reinforced composites vary depending on the choice of resin, fibre and manufacturing process. Therefore there is a strong need to optimize the design of the composite since not all of the best properties can be achieved at the same time. By way of summary, the main advantages of fibre-reinforced polymer composites are usually oue or more of the following ... 

Figure 7.3 Manufacturing processes for carbon fibre reinforced composites. Data Source Adrian Wilson.

The thermal properties of fibre-reinforced composites are anisotropic. Expansion in the direction of the fibre is usually very small or negative, but the thermal conductivity of some carbon fibre composites in the fibre direction can be high. Most polymers and several types of fibre are good electrical insulators. Carbon and some ceramic fibres have a much lower resistivity. It is thus possible to use composites for manufacturing radomes as well as for electromagnetic screening materials and systems which absorb radar signals. 

As a result of their outstanding physical and mechanical properties, aromatic polyamides are attractive materials for use in high-performance structural applications 853072 833611 820253, including aircraft components or fire protection garments, as constituents of both traditional, i.e., fibre-reinforced composites 774110 762844, and molecular composites. One of these applications takes advantage of their thermal stability 881232 825031 763791 755849 and allows the manufacturing of heat-resistant materials for fire protection 713906. In a different context, aromatic polyamides (aramid fibres) have been proposed in the past few years as precursors of activated carbon materials with distinctive adsorbent properties (thermally stable molecular sieves). Aramid fibres, e.g., poly(w-phenylene isophthalamide), poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) 709654, etc., are a class of synthetic polymers that possess excellent thermal and oxidative stability, good flame resistance, and superior mechanical and dielectric behaviour. 

Traditional processes can be modified to better industrialize the manufacturing of medium- or short-run manufacturing. In the thermoplastic composite field, the Pressure Diaphorm Process allows the processing of continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastics with low pressures. The press and the moulds (wood, composite or aluminium) can be about 70% cheaper. The process is convenient for short and medium runs in the range of 1000 up to 100000 parts. 

A growing specialty application for acrylonitrile is in the manufacture of carbon fibres. These are produced by pyrolysis of oriented polyacrylonitrile fibres and are used to reinforce composites for high-performance applications in the aircraft, defence and aerospace industries. Other minor specialty applications of acrylonitrile are in the production of fatty amines, ion exchange resins and fatty amine amides used in cosmetics, adhesives, corrosion inhibitors and water-treatment resins (Brazdil, 1991). 

Carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CRP) is used in die manufacture of golf clubs and tennis rackets, a What are composite materials b Which two substances are used to manufacture this composite material ... 

Methods for manufacturing different fibre-reinforced glass/glass-ceramic matrix composites... 

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