Composites have been found to be the most promising and discerning material available in this century. Presently, composites reinforced with fibers of synthetic or natural materials are gaining more importance as demands for lightweight materials with high strength for specific applications are growing in the market. Fiber-reinforced polymer composite offers not only high strength to weight ratio, but also reveals exceptional properties such as high durability; stiffness; damping property; flexural strength; and resistance to corrosion, wear, impact, and fire. These wide ranges of diverse features have led composite materials to find applications in mechanical, construction, aerospace, automobile, biomedical, marine, and many other manufacturing industries. Performance of composite materials predominantly depends on their constituent elements and manufacturing techniques, therefore, functional properties of various fibers available worldwide, their classifications, and the manufacturing techniques used to fabricate the composite materials need to be studied in order to figure out the optimized characteristic of the material for the desired application. An overview of a diverse range of fibers, their properties, functionality, classification, and various fiber composite manufacturing techniques is presented to discover the optimized fiber-reinforced composite material for significant applications. Their exceptional performance in the numerous fields of applications have made fiber-reinforced composite materials a promising alternative over solitary metals or alloys.

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Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: Manufacturing, Properties, and Applications.

Boron carbide is a strategic material, finding applications in nuclear industry, armour for personnel and vehicle safety, rocket propellant, etc. Its high hardness makes it suitable for grinding and cutting tools, ceramic bearing, wire drawing dies, etc. Boron carbide is commercially produced either by carbothermic reduction of boric acid in electric furnaces or by magnesiothermy in presence of carbon. Since many specialty applications of boron carbide require dense bodies, its densification is of great importance. Hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing are the main processes employed for densification. In the recent past, various researchers have made attempts to improve the existing methods and also invent new processes for synthesis and consolidation of boron carbide. All the techniques on synthesis and consolidation of boron carbide are discussed in detail and critically reviewed.

Synthesis and consolidation of boron carbide: a review

Review on the physicochemical treatments of rice husk for production of advanced materials

The oxidation behavior of Ti36Al, Ti35Al-0.1C, Ti35Al-1.4V-0.1C, and Ti35 Al-5Nb-0.1C (mass-%) in air and oxygen has been studied between 700 and 1000°C with the major emphasis at 900°C. Generally an oxide scale consisting of two layers, an outward- and an inward-growing layer, formed. The outward-growing part of the scale consisted mainly of TiO2 (rutile), while the inward-growing part is composed of a mixture of TiO2 and α-Al2O3. A barrier layer of Al2O3 on TiAl between the inner and the outer part of the scale was visible for up to 300 hr. Under certain conditions, the Al2O3 barrier dissolved and re-precipitated in the outer TiO2 layer. This “shift” leads to an effect similar to breakaway oxidation. Only the alloy containing Nb formed a longlasting, protective Al2O3 layer, which was established at the metal/scale interface after an incubation period of 80–100 hr. During this time, Nb was enriched in the subsurface zone up to approximately 20 w/o. The growth of the oxide scale on TiAl-V obeyed a parabolic law, because no Al2O3 barrier layer formed; large Al2O3 particles were part of the outward-growing layer. A brittle α2-Ti3Al-layer rich in O formed beneath the oxide scale as a result of preferential Al oxidation particularly when oxidized in oxygen. Oxidation in air can lead also to formation of nitrides beneath the oxide scale. The nitridation can vary between the formation of isolated nitride particles and of a metal/Ti2AlN/ TiN/oxide, scale-layer system. Under certain conditions, nitride-layer formation seemed to favor protective Al2O23 formation at the metal/scale interface, however, in general nitridation was detrimental with the consequence that oxidation was generally more rapid in air than in oxygen.

Mechanism of isothermal oxidation of the intel-metallic TiAl and of TiAl alloys

Attractive elevated-temperature properties and low density make the titanium aluminides very interesting for both engine and airframe applications, particularly in the aerospace industry. The challenge to the materials scientist is to maintain these characteristics while building-in “forgiveness”. The basic phase diagram and crystal structure of both the Ti3Al and TiAl phases are reviewed, followed by a consideration of chemistry-processing-microstructure-deformation/fracture-mechanical property relationships in monolithic material. Conventional and innovative synthesis methods are presented, including use of hydrogen as a temporary alloying element. Composite concepts as a method to enhance not only “forgiveness” but also elevated-temperature behaviour are discussed. Environmental effects are evaluated prior to consideration of present and projected applications of both monolithic and composite material. It is concluded that while the titanium aluminides in monolithic form can be used now in non-demanding applications, much further research and development is required before this material class can be used in critical applications, especially in composite concepts.

Synthesis, properties and applications of titanium aluminides

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) and processes based on SHS are currently being developed the world over for the production of powders and near-net shape components of advanced materials. The research activities that have been and are being carried out in this field are reviewed here. Theoretical principles underlying SHS process, such as equlibrium computation and kinetics involving heat and mass transfer are described. General concepts about the SHS reaction mechanisms with a few illustrative examples are presented. Along with a detailed description of the processing techniques such as powder production,in situ consolidation and casting, a few of the novel techniques based on SHS are also elaborated.

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis

The ceramic matrix carbon fibre (CMC) reinforced composite has received great attention for use in aerospace engineering. In aerospace, the atmosphere is highly oxidative and experiences very high temperature. In addition to this, the materials require high thermal stability and high abrasion resistance in that atmosphere. The C/C–SiC composite meets with these requirements. In this paper, the C/C–SiC composite by liquid silicon infiltration is reviewed thoroughly.

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High temperature C/C–SiC composite by liquid silicon infiltration: a literature review

Titanium aluminides are considered as replacements for superalloys in applications in gas turbine engines because of their outstanding properties. Ti3Al has a superior creep strength up to 815° C, but has poor oxidation resistance above 650° C. Two approaches can be followed to improve the oxidation resistance of Ti3Al above 650° C. One is alloying and the other obtaining a protective surface coating. Niobium was found to improve the oxidation resistance, when added as an alloying element. Recent investigations showed that a TiAl3 surface layer considerably improves the oxidation resistance of titanium. In the present work, a TiAl3 layer was obtained on a Ti-14Al-24Nb (wt%) alloy using a pack aluminizing process. The cyclic oxidation behaviour of aluminized and uncoated samples was evaluated.

J. Subrahmanyam

Papers

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis

High temperature C/C–SiC composite by liquid silicon infiltration: a literature review

Cyclic oxidation of aluminized Ti-14Al-24Nb alloy

Formation of SiC from rice husk silica-carbon black mixture: Effect of rapid heating

Processing of carbon-fiber reinforced (SiC + ZrC) mini-composites by soft-solution approach and their characterization