Course detail

Composite Materials and Their Technologies I

FCH-BA_KOMAcad. year: 2025/2026

Composites – introduction, composite applications, resin matrices, fibers, interphases. Composite mechanics. Micromechanics, mechanics of a lamina, laminate mechanics. Composite manufacturing technologies. Composite testing and standardization. Particulate filled plastics. Mechanics of particulate composites. Effects of particle-matrix adhesion.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Petr Poláček, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Materials Science (ÚCHM)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

Polymer physics, mechanics and fracture of materials

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

oral exam 30 minutes, project
none

Aims

This course is an introduction into the field of design and engineering of polymer composites including the technologies to produce composites as semi finished goods or articles made of composites. The main thrust of this course is to provide understanding of the role of structure and chemistry of the individual components and processing parameters of various types of small and large volume composite manufacturing technologies in determining the properties of resulting composites. Specifics of the various technologies is also discussed along with their limiting factors.
Principles of glass state and glass transition, rubber elasticity, crystallizations kinetics, supermolecular structure, viscoealsticity of solid polymers, mechanical response of polymer networks, swelling, morphology and properties of polymer blends

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

A.K. Kaw, "Mechanics of Composite Materials" Taylor and Francis, 2006 (EN) (EN)
F.C. Cambell, "Structural Composite Materials" ASM International, 2010 (EN) (EN)

Type of course unit

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Petr Poláček, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Introduction-definition of a composite, composite classes.
Block I: Fiber reinforced composites (FRCs)
Thermosetting matrices
Unsaturated polyesters (UP)
Vinyl esters (VE)
Epoxy resins (EP)
Phenolic resins (PR)
Fiber reinforcement (fibers, woven cloths, non-woven mats)
Glass fibers
Carbon and graphite fibers
Polymer fibers (Kevlar, Dyneema, etc.)
Surface treatment of reinforcements
Production technologies
Hand lay up
Vacuum and pressure bag
Autoclave
RTM
Pultrusion, filament winding
Prepregging
SMC, BMC
Testing methods
Micromechanics of lamina
fiber volume fraction, fiber orientation, interfacial adhesion,
rule of mixtures in UD reinforced lamina,
angular dependence of the elastic constants,
reinforcing efficiency
Block II: Filled plastics
Thermoplastic matrices
Volume fillers
Functional fillers
Mechanics of particulate filled composites
elastic properties, single particle models,
effect of adhesion,
effect of particle shape
Block III: Nanocomposites
introduction and basic terms,
chain conformation in the presence of nanoparticles,
reinforcing mechanisms in polymer nanocomposites,
layered silicates,
self assembly, nanostructured copolymers,
nanocomposites for photovoltaics,
nanocomposites in medicine and biology