Composite Materials in 21st Century with Prospects in
Nanotechnology and Digital Manufacturing
A. Haque, Associate Professor
Department of Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Al-35406, USA
This talk focuses progress in the field of composite materials with current practices and
challenges in design, manufacturing and sustainability of composite technology. A brief history
of composites and their applications in transportation vehicles, civil infrastructures, sport
goods, electronics, biomedical devices, safety and protection tools and house hold appliances
will be discussed. The performance of composites with traditional engineering materials will be
highlighted. The commercial aspects of composite technology with future growth and prospects
particularly in developing countries will be described. Recently, nanotechnology and digital
manufacturing are considered to be emerging fields that are investigated for improving
performance of composites and rapid manufacturing of prototype composite parts. The
development of regenerated cellulose fibers using ionic liquid method are studied considering
sustainability of composite technology. The reinforcing materials such as one dimensional
carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber and two dimensional graphene nanosheet and nanoclay
materials are used in short fiber and continuous fiber reinforced composites for improved
mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. A multiscale modeling approach using molecular
dynamic simulation, peridynamics, finite element method and micromechanics based
formulations are used in predicting properties of nanocomposites. The results are compared
with experimental data. An improved material properties are observed in nanocomposites in
comparison to neat polymers. Currently, large scale MD simulation and integrating MD
simulation data dynamically to a continuum model is a challenge. Digital manufacturing such as
laser sintering(LS) and fused deposition melting (FDM) show promises in manufacturing
prototype composite parts using 3D printing technology. The composite filaments with
micrometer and nanometer scaled reinforcing materials are manufactured for in order to use as
a feedstock in FDM. The compatibility of this composite filaments are investigated in
manufacturing 3D printed composite components using FDM. The properties of 3D printed
materials are compared with conventional materials. The results show promises for 3D printing
in manufacturing prototype composite parts. The out of plane reinforcement and scalability in
3D printing are seen to be current challenge in digital manufacturing.