Fibre reinforced composites metal/ceramic/polymer

In principle, there are as many combinations of fibre and matrix available for textile-reinforced composites as there are available for the general class of composite materials. In addition to a wide choice of materials, there is the added factor of the manufacturing route to consider, since a valued feature of composite materials is the ability to manufacture the article at the same time as the material itself is being processed. This feature of composite materials contrasts with the other classes of engineering materials (metals, ceramics, polymers), where it is usual for the material to be produced first (e.g. steel sheet) followed by the forming of the desired shape. 

Janes, Neumann and Sethna ° reviewed the general subject of solid lubricant composites in polymers and metals. They pointed out that the reduction in mechanical properties with higher concentrations of solid lubricant can be offset by the use of fibre reinforcement. Glass fibre is probably the most commonly used reinforcing fibre, with carbon fibre as a second choice. Metal and ceramic fibres have been used experimentally to reinforce polymers, but have not apparently been used commercially. To some extent powders such as bronze, lead, silica, alumina, titanium oxide or calcium carbonate can be used to improve compressive modulus, hardness and wear rate. 

Man-made composites fall into three broad classes, depending on whether the main part of the composite, the matrix, is a polymer, a metal or a ceramic. Often, but not always, the composite combines materials from two classes, as in glass-fibre-reinforced plastics. However, the most widely used composite material, concrete, is a ceramic -ceramic composite. The most important classes of artificial composite are described below. The mechanical properties of composites are discussed in Section 10.4. Biological composites are very varied and will not be considered here. 

FRCs can be classified based on matrix and fibres. Based on fibre source, FRCs may be natural fibre reinforced and synthetic fibre reinforced. Based on fibre length, they can be continuous fibre reinforced and discontinuous fibre reinforced. But FRCs are generally classified based on matrix component. Thus according to the types of matrices stated earlier, composites are of three types (i) ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), (ii) metal matrix composites (MMCs) and (iii) organic matrix composites (OMCs). Organic matrix is subdivided into two classes, namely polymer matrix and carbon matrix. A short description of all these types of composites are discussed below. 

Duran A, Aparicio M, Rebstock K, Vogel WD, Reinfiltration processes for polymer derived fibre reinforced ceramics, Fuentes M, Martinez-Esnaola JM, Daniel AM eds.. Ceramic and Metal Matrix Composites CMMC 96, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, Key Eng Mater, 127-131, Part 1, 287-294, 1997. 

Polymer Matrix Composites Where low-specific gravity is important, as in the case of aviation construction, an important role in supplementing and even replacing metals has been played by polymer matrix composites reinforced with continuous ceramic fibres, mostly carbon and glass fibres (—>Figs. 3.12. Tradition... 

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