Science And Engineering Of Short Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites

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

A summary of recent research on short fiber reinforced polymers, this book focuses on the fundamental mechanisms that govern the mechanical properties including strength, modulus, fracture toughness and thermal properties of SFRP materials. It covers extrusion compounding and injection molding, major factors affecting mechanical performance, stress transfer, strength, elastic modulus flexural modulus, thermal conductivity and expansion, non-linear stress-strain behavior and fracture mechanics of short fiber reinforced polymers. Written by a team of distinguished authors, it provides an in-depth understanding of the behavior of these versatile materials.

Provides a detailed insight into short fibers of different types (metallic and organic) in a polymer matrix, as well as reporting on the design considerations and applications of such composites. It relates unparalleled research into a diverse range of 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.

Polymer-based fibre-reinforced composites FRC’s have now come out as a major class of structural materials being used or regarded as substituent’s for metals in several critical components in space, automotive and other industries (marine, and sports goods) owing to their low density, strength-weight ratio, and fatigue strength. FRC’s have several commercial as well as industrial applications ranging from aircraft, space, automotive, sporting goods, marine, and infrastructure. The above-mentioned applications of FRC’s clearly reveal that FRC’s have the potential to be used in a broad range of different engineering fields with the added advantages of low density, and resistance to corrosion compared to conventional metallic and ceramic composites. However, for scientists/researchers/R&D’s to fabricate FRC’s with such potential there should be careful and precise design followed by suitable process development based on properties like mechanical, physical, and thermal that are unique to each application. Hence the last few decades have witnessed considerable research on fibre reinforced composites. Fibre Reinforced Composites: Constituents, Compatibility, Perspectives and Applications presents a widespread all-inclusive review on fibre-reinforced composites ranging from the different types of processing techniques to chemical modification of the fibre surface to enhance the interfacial adhesion between the matrix and fibre and the structure-property relationship. It illustrates how high value composites can be produced by efficient and sustainable processing methods by selecting different constituents [fibres and resins]. Researchers in academia working in composites and accompanying areas [materials characterisation] and industrial manufacturers who need information on composite constituents and how they relate to each other for a certain application will find the book extremely useful when they need to make decisions about materials selection for their products. Focuses on the different types of FRC’s that are currently available (e.g. from polymeric matrices to metallic and ceramic matrices, from carbon fibre to different types of natural fibres and from short to long fibre reinforced), their processing techniques, characterization of different properties, and how to improve the interfacial adhesion between an incompatible fibre and matrix and their applications Looks at crisis areas such as how to incorporate incompatible fibres and matrices together (e.g. Non-polar polypropylene matrix is not compatible with that of polar natural fibres and hence suitable surface modifications are required to make them compatible with each other) along with low cost processing methods, low density and high strength Uncovers clarifications to both elementary and practical problems related to the fabrication of FRCs Schematic representations depicting the interaction between different fibre types and matrices will be provided in some chapters

Presents state-of-the-art processing techniques and readily applicable knowledge on processing of polymer composites The book presents the advancement in the field of reinforced polymer composites with emphasis on manufacturing techniques, including processing of different reinforced polymer composites, secondary processing of green composites, and post life cycle processing. It discusses the advantages and limitations of each processing method and the effect of processing parameters on the overall performance of the composites. Characterization and applications of reinforced polymer composites are also introduced. Reinforced Polymer Composites: Processing, Characterization and Post Life Cycle Assessment starts off by providing readers with a comprehensive overview of the field. It then introduces them to the fabrication of both short fiber/filler reinforced polymer composites and laminated reinforced polymer composites. Next, it takes them through the processing of polymer-based nanocomposites; the many advances in curing methods of reinforced polymer composites; and post life cycle processing, re-processing, and disposal mechanisms of reinforced polymer composites. Numerous other chapters cover: synthetic versus natural fiber reinforced plastics; characterization techniques of reinforced plastics; friction and wear analysis of reinforced plastics; secondary processing of reinforced plastics; and applications of reinforced plastics. -Presents the latest development in materials, processing, and characterization techniques, as well as applications of reinforced polymer composites -Guides users in choosing the best processing methods to produce polymer composites and successfully manufacture high quality products -Assists academics in sorting out basic research questions and helps those in industry manufacture products, such as marine, automotive, aerospace, and sport goods Reinforced Polymer Composites: Processing, Characterization and Post Life Cycle Assessment is an important book for materials scientists, polymer chemists, chemical engineers, process engineers, and anyone involved in the chemical or plastics technology industry.

Multi-scale modelling of composites is a very relevant topic in composites science. This is illustrated by the numerous sessions in the recent European and International Conferences on Composite Materials, but also by the fast developments in multi-scale modelling software tools, developed by large industrial players such as Siemens (Virtual Material Characterization toolkit and MultiMechanics virtual testing software), MSC/e-Xstream (Digimat software), Simulia (micromechanics plug-in in Abaqus), HyperSizer (Multi-scale design of composites), Altair (Altair Multiscale Designer) This book is intended to be an ideal reference on the latest advances in multi-scale modelling of fibre-reinforced polymer composites, that is accessible for both (young) researchers and end users of modelling software. We target three main groups: This book aims at a complete introduction and overview of the state-of-the-art in multi-scale modelling of composites in three axes: • ranging from prediction of homogenized elastic properties to nonlinear material behaviour • ranging from geometrical models for random packing of unidirectional fibres over meso-scale geometries for textile composites to orientation tensors for short fibre composites • ranging from damage modelling of unidirectionally reinforced composites over textile composites to short fibre-reinforced composites The book covers the three most important scales in multi-scale modelling of composites: (i) micro-scale, (ii) meso-scale and (iii) macro-scale. The nano-scale and related atomistic and molecular modelling approaches are deliberately excluded, since the book wants to focus on continuum mechanics and there are already a lot of dedicated books about polymer nanocomposites. A strong focus is put on physics-based damage modelling, in the sense that the chapters devote attention to modelling the different damage mechanisms (matrix cracking, fibre/matrix debonding, delamination, fibre fracture,...) in such a way that the underlying physics of the initiation and growth of these damage modes is respected. The book also gives room to not only discuss the finite element based approaches for multi-scale modelling, but also much faster methods that are popular in industrial software, such as Mean Field Homogenization methods (based on Mori-Tanaka and Eshelby solutions) and variational methods (shear lag theory and more advanced theories). Since the book targets a wide audience, the focus is put on the most common numerical approaches that are used in multi-scale modelling. Very specialized numerical methods like peridynamics modelling, Material Point Method, eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM), isogeometric analysis, SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics),... are excluded. Outline of the book The book is divided in three large parts, well balanced with each a similar number of chapters:

Advanced Fibre-reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites for Structural Applications, Second Edition provides updates on new research that has been carried out on the use of FRP composites for structural applications. These include the further development of advanced FRP composites materials that achieve lighter and stronger FRP composites, how to enhance FRP integrated behavior through matrix modification, along with information on pretension treatments and intelligence technology. The development of new technology such as automated manufacturing and processing of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have played a significant role in optimizing fabrication processing and matrix formation. In this new edition, all chapters have been brought fully up-to-date to take on the key aspects mentioned above. The book's chapters cover all areas relevant to advanced FRP composites, from the material itself, its manufacturing, properties, testing and applications in structural and civil engineering. Applications span from civil engineering, to buildings and the energy industry. Covers all areas relevant to advanced FRP composites, from the material itself, its manufacturing, properties, testing and applications in structural engineering Features new manufacturing techniques, such as automated fiber placement and 3D printing of composites Includes various applications, such as prestressed-FRP, FRP made of short fibers, continuous structural health monitoring using advanced optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG), durability of FRP-strengthened structures, and the application of carbon nano-tubes or platelets for enhancing durability of FRP-bonded structures