10 - Composites Flashcards
Suitability of composite materials (4)
- They have the ability to be moulded into a variety of 3D forms
- Enhancement of physical and/or mechanical properties
- Ease of manufacture for some uses against traditional materials
- Improved product performance
Examples of composite materials (7)
- Carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP)
- Glass reinforced plastic (GRP)
- Tungsten carbide
- Aluminium composite board
- Concrete, including reinforced concrete
- Fibre cement
- Engineered wood e.g glulam (glued laminated timber)
What is glass reinforced plastic (GRP)?
- Is a composite material made of glass fibres mixed with polyester resin
- Commonly referred to as fibreglass
Properties of Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) (6)
- Lightweight
- Corrosion resistant
- Tough
- Hard
- Low thermal expansion
- Good compressive strength
Uses of Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) (5)
- Boat hulls
- Pond liners
- Kayak shells
- sports car bodies and parts
- Locomotive train cabs
What is Tungsten carbide? (3)
- Is an alloy of Tungsten and carbon usually mixed with a binder, commonly cobalt
- Grey in colour
- Some hardness as corrindum or sapphire so to sharpen or cut it you would need to use diamond tools
Properties of Tungsten carbide (4)
- Hard
- Tough
- Resistant to high temperatures
- Corrosion resistant
Uses of Tungsten carbide (4)
- Cutting tools such as drill bits
- Lathe tool tips
- Router bits
- Kitchen knives
What is alminium composite board? (3)
- Feature two thin sheets of aluminium enclosing polyethylene
- Can be used in a huge range of applications
- Lightweight, strong, extremely flat surface that makes it suitable for printing high quality graphics or text
Properties of Aluminium composite board (6)
- Lightweight
- Rigid
- Tough
- Malleable
- Good thermal and sound insulation
- Good vibration damping
Uses of aluminium composite board (3)
- Sound-proofing panels in cars
- Buildings and boats
- Signage
What is concrete (including reinforced concrete)?
Is a composite material in which concrete’s relatively low tensile strength and ductility are concentrated by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ductility
Properties of reinforced concrete (4)
- High compression and tensile strength
- Consistency across the structure
- Few surface defects
- Fire Resistant
Uses of reinforced concrete (4)
- Buildings
- Bridge piles and and bridge spans
- Retaining walls
- Grid floors
What is fibre cement? (3)
- Is a composite building and construction material
- Used mainly in roofing and facade products due to its strength and durability
- Commonly used on the side of buildings
Properties of fibre cement (4)
- Lighter in weight than reinforced concrete
- Hard
- Tough
- Good at low temperatures and freeze/thaw situations
Uses of Fibre cement (3)
- Suspended floors
- Complex geometric shapes
- Pathways
Composition of fibre cement
Cement powder, sand, aggregate particles and polymer or steel mixed with water
What is Engineered wood?
Includes a range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding or fixing the strands particles fibres or Veneers or boards of wood together with Adhesives or other methods of fixation to form composite materials
Properties of engineered wood (6)
- Good aesthetics
- Natural alternative to reinforced concretes
- More Lightweight than concrete alternatives
- Fire Resistant
- Good structural stability
- Corrosion proof
Uses of engineered wood (7)
- Beams
- Bridges
- Domes
- Arches
- Decking
- Roof beams
- Rafters
Composition of engineered wood
Timber limited and MF adhesives
Composition of reinforced concrete
cement powder, sand, aggregate particles and low carbon steel rods (rebar) mixed with water
Composition of concrete
Cement powder, sand, aggregate particles mixed with water
Composition of Tungsten carbide
A cermet (mixture of ceramic and metal particles) ceramic Tungsten and cobalt metal
Composition of GRP
Glass diners mixed with polyester resin
composition of CFRP
carbon fibres mixed with polyester resin or epoxy resin
Properties of CFRP (6)
- Lightweight
- Corrosion Resistant
- Tough
- Hard
- Good compressive strength
- Low thermal expansion
Uses of CFRP (5)
- Sports equipment such as bicycle frames and tennis racquets
- Fishing rods
- Racing Car bodies and parts
- Helmets
- Prosthetics
Properties of concrete (4)
- High compression strength
- Low tensile strength
- Few surface defects
- Easy to mould
- Can be situ or pre fabricated
- Very stable material
Uses of concrete (5)
- Pathways
- Beams
- Blocks
- Driveways
- House foundations
What is a composite material?
a material composed of two or more different materials, resulting in a material with enhanced materials
Ingredients of concrete (5)
- Course aggregate
- Water
- Admixture - makes concrete more fluid
- Cement
- Sand
