This book provides a simple and unified approach to the mechanics of discontinuous-fibre reinforced composites, and introduces readers as generally as possible to the key concepts regarding the mechanics of elastic stress transfer, intermediate modes of stress transfer, plastic stress transfer, fibre pull-out, fibre fragmentation and matrix rupture. These concepts are subsequently applied to progressive stages of the loading process, through to the composite fractures. The book offers a valuable guide for advanced undergraduate and graduate students attending lecture courses on fibre composites. It is also intended for beginning researchers who wish to develop deeper insights into how discontinuous fibre provides reinforcement to composites, and for engineers, particularly those who wish to apply the concepts presented here to design and develop discontinuous-fibre reinforced composites.
Discontinuous long fiber reinforced polymer structures with local continuous fiber reinforcements represent an important class of lightweight materials with broad design possibilities and diverse technical applications, e.g. in vehicle construction. However, in contrast to continuous fiber reinforced composites, extensively used in the aircraft industry, there is still a lack of integrated and experimentally proven concepts for manufacture, modeling, and dimensioning of combinations of discontinuously and continuously reinforced polymer structures. This is partly ascribed to the complexity of the manufacturing processes of discontinuously reinforced polymers, with heterogeneous, anisotropic, and nonlinear material and structural properties, but also to the resulting bonding problem of both material types. This book addresses these issues, including both continuous and discontinuous fiber processing strategies. Specific design strategies for advanced composite reinforcement strategies are provided, with an integrated and holistic approach taken for composites material selection, product design, and mechanical properties. Characterization, simulation, technology, design, future research, and implementation directions are also included. Especially in the field of application of three-dimensional load-bearing structures, this book provides an excellent foundation for the enhancement of scientific methods and the education of engineers who need an interdisciplinary understanding of process and material techniques, as well as simulation and product development methods.
There are many books on composite material analysis, but most cover mainly continuous fiber materials, rather than those filled with discontinuous fibers, which are particularly attractive for large-volume and low-cost applications. This book provides the theoretical and practical background to design and use discontinuous fiber-reinforced polymer materials, with an emphasis on structural parts for the automotive industry. Moreover, the product of years of collaborative work between industry and academia is presented in an easy-to-use, comprehensive manner. The information provided makes it possible for someone with an engineering background to understand the micromechanics of discontinuous fiber-reinforced materials and, hence, analyze the structural performance of components designed with such materials. The book employs a practical approach to cover the key, unique capabilities that are critical for a successful structural analysis of discontinuous fiber-reinforced polymer structures: -Process simulation to estimate the condition of fibers in the finished parts, i.e., fiber length, orientation, and concentration -Capability to measure micro structure, i.e., fiber length distribution, fiber orientation tensors, and fiber concentration, etc. -Estimation of material properties in the part based on fiber condition, as well as environmental conditions such as temperature A broad range of areas is included, such as joining and assembly.
Science and Engineering of Short Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites, Second Edition, provides the latest information on the 'short fiber reinforced composites' (SFRP) that have found extensive applications in automobiles, business machines, durable consumer items, sporting goods and electrical industries due to their low cost, easy processing and superior mechanical properties over parent polymers. This updated edition presents new developments in this field of research and includes new chapters on electrical conductivity, structural monitoring, functional properties, self-healing, finite element method techniques, multi-scale SFRCs, and both modern computational and process engineering methods. - Reviews the mechanical properties and functions of short fiber reinforced polymer composites (SFRP) - Examines recent developments in the fundamental mechanisms of SFRP's - Assesses major factors affecting mechanical performance, such as stress transfer and strength - Includes new chapters on electrical conductivity, structural monitoring, functional properties, self-healing, finite element method techniques, multi-scale SFRCs, modern computational methods, and process engineering methods
Fiber Technology for Fiber-Reinforced Composites provides a detailed introduction to fiber reinforced composites, explaining the mechanics of fiber reinforced composites, along with information on the various fiber types, including manufacturing of fibers (starting from monomers and precursors), fiber spinning techniques, testing of fibers, and surface modification of fibers. As material technologies develop, composite materials are becoming more and more important in transportation, construction, electronics, sporting goods, the defense industry, and other areas of research. Many engineers working in industry and academics at universities are trying to manufacture composite materials using a limited number of fiber types with almost no information on fiber technology, fiber morphology, fiber properties, and fiber sizing agents. This book fills that gap in knowledge. - Unique in that it focuses on a broad range of different fiber types used in composites manufacturing - Contains contributions from leading experts working in both industry and academia - Provides comprehensive coverage on both natural and nanofibers
Natural and Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Composites Discover a comprehensive exploration of fiber reinforced polymers by an expert team of editors Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites offer several unique properties that make them ideal for use in a wide range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to marine, construction, and co-industrial. In Natural and Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Composites: Synthesis, Properties and Applications, a distinguished team of mechanical engineers delivers a comprehensive overview of fiber reinforced composites. This edited volume includes thorough discussions of glass-, cotton-, and carbon-fiber reinforced materials, as well as the tribological properties and non-structural applications of synthetic fiber composites. Readers will also find practical explorations of the structural evolution, mechanical features, and future possibilities of fiber, textile, and nano-cementitious materials. The physical and chemical properties of cotton fiber-based composites are explored at length, as are the extraordinary mechanical, thermal, electrical, electronic, and field emission properties of carbon nanotubes. This singular book also includes: A thorough discussion of recent advancements in natural fiber reinforced polymer composites, their implications, and the opportunities that arise as a result A comprehensive exploration of the thermal behavior of natural fiber-based composites An insightful review of the literature on sisal fiber with polymer matrices A response to the growing research gap in the existing literature regarding natural fiber-based polymer composites and solutions to address it Perfect for scientists, engineers, professors, and students working in areas involving natural and synthetic reinforced polymers and composites, Natural and Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Composites: Synthesis, Properties and Applications offers a one-of-a-kind resource to help readers understand a critical and rapidly evolving technology.
The book is intended as a text for graduate or advanced undergraduate students, but will also be an excellent reference for all materials scientists and engineers.
This book extensively reviews Polypropylene (PP), the second most widely produced thermoplastic material, having been produced for over 60 years. Its synthesis, processing and application are still accompanied by vigorous R&D developments because the properties of PP are at the borderline between those of commodity and engineering thermoplastics. Readers are introduced to various tacticities and polymorphs of PP, and their effects on structural properties. Further, the book addresses the control of optical properties using nucleants, provides strategies for overcoming the limited cold/impact resistance of PP, examines in detail the effects of recycling, and presents guidelines for the property modification of PPs through foaming, filling and reinforcing with respect to target applications. Special attention is paid to descriptions and models of properties as a function of morphological variables. Last but not least, the book suggests potential practical applications of PP-based systems, especially in the packaging, appliances, building/construction, textile and automotive sectors. Each chapter, written by internationally respected scientists, reflects the current state-of-art in the respective field and offers a vital source of information for students, researchers and engineers interested in the morphology, properties, testing and modeling of PP and PP-based systems. The content is indispensable to the appropriate application of PPs and related composites.
Fiber reinforced composite materials encompass a wide range of material classes from reinforced glasses, plastics, and rubbers through to more recently developed metals and ceramics. Fundamentals of Fibre Reinforced Composite Materials is a comprehensive and authoritative book that introduces the topic with a brief history of composite development, a review of composite applications, the types of fibre used, and their respective indiviual properties. An entire chapter considers organic matrices and their behavior, reviewing all of the most commonly encountered polymer matrix systems. Composite manufacturing techniques are then discussed, including those methods employed in the production of advanced metal and ceramic matrix composites. The remaining chapters are devoted primarily to theoretical treatments of composite behavior, with emphasis on the understanding of damage mechanisms such as cracking, delamination, and fibre breakage. Where a mathematical approach is required, an attempt is made to relate the sometimes rather abstract notions back at the structure of the material being discussed. With extensive sets of sample problems accompanying each chapter, Fundamentals of Fibre Reinforced Composite Materials is ideally suited to undergraduate and graduate students of materials science, structural, mechanical, and aeronautical engineering, polymer science, metallurgy, physics and chemistry. It will also be of use as a reference to researchers working with composite materials and material scientists in general.
