Written by Cailin Rugema
Composite material is a combination of materials in both the physical and chemical aspects of properties. They have been used to replace metals for almost half a century now. The reason for this is that when they are combined, they create a material that can enhance properties such as strength, weight, and resistance to electricity, depending on what it was specialized for.
Composites may have only recently replaced metals in some aspects, but they have been around for a much longer time. It is predicted they have been around since 3400 B.C. in Iraq. However, there are also naturally made materials such as wood, coconut, and banana leaf fibers.
But, exactly how do composite materials function like this, you may ask? Well, composite materials are all made differently according to their intent. In this article, I will specialize in carbon fibers. Carbon fibers, which are commonly used in the field of aerospace engineering, generally start off when fibers are heated to extreme temperatures to rearrange their atomic bonding pattern. After they are carbonized, they are further heated in a furnace with a gas mixture without the presence of oxygen to prevent burning. When heated, they lose their non-carbon atoms and some carbon atoms. The remaining carbon atoms that weren’t lost are tightly bonded as crystals in a parallel axis from the fiber. The fibers in the structure that have not bonded well are oxidized with oxygen to provide better chemical bonding.
Additionally, carbon fibers are usually combined with other materials to form a composite. The most common addition to this is plastic resin, which makes a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) that is extremely light and strong. They are made when a carbon fiber layer is backed with fiberglass. Another commonly mentioned addition is graphite, which produces reinforced carbon-carbon composites. They are primarily used for their extremely high heat tolerance.
All that has been mentioned has a direct relation to the increased sustainability of aviation, namely because carbon fibers used in aerospace engineering and other composites are increasing fuel efficiency. Composite materials, like the examples previously mentioned, tend to have significantly less mass than metals, thereby allowing aircraft to burn less fuel and further reduce emissions. Stephen Heinz, Vice President R&I for Solvay’s Composites business unit, mentioned, “Considering the fuel burn of a plane represents more than 95% of its carbon footprint, any impact on its consumption has a big effect.” This statement further proves that fuel efficiency is key to reducing the major carbon footprint.
Although composite materials seem to be the solution to our problem regarding the 2.5% of world carbon emissions emitted from aviation, there are underlying problems involved with composite materials such as the cost of manufacturing and recyclability of the composites that need to be addressed. Primarily, the cost of manufacturing seems to be around $10.0 per lb based on the production plant capacity of about 1500 tonnes per year being produced to be used. This cost can inhibit a majority of smaller and less invested companies in aerospace/mechanical engineering from further experimenting with this type of technology.
Despite these disadvantages, we shouldn’t let them be the reason we do not further explore the possibilities of composite materials improving sustainability in aviation. Especially because experiments seem to be proving this once said theory. Back in the 1950s, fiber composites only accounted for 2% of a Boeing 707; today, the most recent model, the Boeing 787, consists of about 50% composite materials. This is proving to make the newer models more fuel efficient. A Boeing 787-900 consumes 1,425 gallons/hour while a Boeing 707-320B consumes 2,300 gallons/hour, thus making it 1.6 times more efficient with fuel consumption per hour.
Furthermore, multiple companies are a testimony to recent discoveries regarding this technology. On the first of August 2017, Airbus announced their newest model, the A350 XMB. It was a revolutionary plane that consisted of 50% CFRP used on the wings, sourced from Hexcel. The jetliner was both stronger, lighter, and more corrosion-resistant than both iron and aluminum. Those were not the only results that stunned most; a performance study additionally indicated the model burned 25% less fuel and carbon emissions per seat.
In conclusion, composites are proving time and time again to be the shape of aerospace’s future. Improvements are constantly being made with this type of technology in the aerospace and mechanical engineering fields. Hopefully, with these constant improvements, we can expect fewer concerns being raised and more sustainability goals achieved to reduce the 2.5% of carbon emissions emitted by aviation.
References:
Airbus. (2021, June 24). A350 Less Weight. Less Fuel. More Sustainable. | A350 | Aircraft | Airbus Aircraft. Aircraft.airbus.com. https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/aircraft/a350-clean-sheet-clean-start/a350-less-weight-less-fuel-more-sustainable
Ritchie, H. (2024). What share of global CO2 emissions come from aviation?. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/global-aviation-emissions
Airbus. (2017, August 1). Composites: Airbus Continues to Shape the Future | Airbus. Www.airbus.com. https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/news/2017-08-composites-airbus-continues-to-shape-the-future
Nunna, S., Blanchard, P., Buckmaster, D., Davis, S., & Naebe, M. (2019). Development of a cost model for the production of carbon fibers. Heliyon, 5(10), e02698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02698
The race to decarbonize aviation has begun. (2023, July 27). Syensqo.com. https://www.syensqo.com/en/article/race-to-decarbonize-aviation
Hardiman, J. (2021, February 23). New Vs Old: Comparing The Boeing 707 To The 787 Dreamliner. Simple Flying. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-707-vs-787-dreamliner/
Commercial Aircraft | Hexcel. (n.d.). Www.hexcel.com. https://www.hexcel.com/Markets/Commercial-Aerospace/Commercial-Aircraft
Zoltek. (2017, October 23). How is Carbon Fiber Made? | ZOLTEK. ZOLTEK. https://zoltek.com/carbon-fiber/how-is-carbon-fiber-made/
McConnell, V. (2010). The making of carbon fiber. Compositesworld.com; CompositesWorld. https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/the-making-of-carbon-fiber
What is a Composite Material? (A Definitive Guide). (n.d.). Www.twi-Global.com. https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-a-composite-material
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