Course syllabus

Course-PM

MPM052 Composite and nanocomposite materials lp1 HT23MPM052_HT25 (7.5 hp)

The course is offered by the Department of Industrial and Materials Science, and the 2025 edition will be held in  ES52, and ED, the lab in M9 at Chalmers Johanneberg Campus.

For an updated classroom please check the time edit or the course.

Contact details

• examiner: Associate Professor Giada Lo Re (giadal@chalmers.se)
• guest lecturers: Dr Rosica Mincheva (rosica.mincheva@umons.ac.be) (UMONS University, Belgium)
• lab instructors:  Angelica Avella (avella@chalmers.se) and Enrica Pellegrino (enricap@chalmers.se)

 

Course purpose

All three classes of composite materials are included in the course: polymeric matrix composites (PMC), as well as metallic and ceramic matrix composites (MMC and CMC), though the main focus is on PMC (99%). Dominantly, conventional (that is, using micro-sized reinforcement) composites are discussed. Nanocomposites (that is, using nanosized reinforcement) are included in the course, but to a lesser extent, because the industry is mainly using conventional composites. Nevertheless, nanocomposites are making great research and growing engineering impacts, following science and development in the field of nanoparticles.

 

• This is an advanced level course designed for MSc and PhD students as well as for professionals in the industry. The aims are three-fold to provide: (i) materials and basic mechanics understandings of composites and nanocomposites, (ii) theories and practical aspects of composites for research and engineering, and (iii) overall strategies, updates, impacts and challenges in the field of composites.

There are many applications and great expectations connected to composites, among others in the automotive, aerospace, civil engineering, and electronics industries.

Goals

After reading this course you should be able to: understand structure-properties relations, concerning their mechanical performances; an overview of the field of composites, handle applications and judge the materials according to various criteria. Thus you should be able to:

• apply/inform/describe methods, updates, impacts and challenges in the field of composites and nanocomposites
• synthesize/explain from constituents through structure through interactions through processing to properties to performance to applications
• apply your so-far knowledge of physics, materials and mechanics, and new knowledge of types of fillers/fibres and matrices, and interactions between them, towards improved, high-quality materials and their performances. This is necessary for cost/profile analysis in your future job.
• apply specific knowledge acquired through studying course parts A-G and H (end-of-life) to prepare your own application (problem-based learning, PBL “project”).
• independently from issues, conclude/judge/compare (examination and self-reflections); thus, imparting more increased complexity in the analysis of composites.

 

Course evaluation

From 1 January 2012, the Student – och utbildningsavdelningen administrative unit at Chalmers is responsible for the support to course evaluation for the advanced level courses. Within the support, where among others the Educational Secretary (Johan Bankel, johan.bankel@chalmers.se) is included, procedures have been developed to elect student representatives to the course board. Also, dates for course board meetings will be set, and course questionnaires will be delivered.

Lecturers are responsible for:

• informing about course evaluation in the introduction of the course in Kurs-PM (course information), and to introducing student representatives 

This year:

MPAEM   chilukuri.vardhan@gmail.com     Kaushik Vardhan Chilukuri
MPAEM   noahgong@yahoo.com      Xun Gong
MPAEM   geetikmamillapalli@gmail.com    Geetik Mamillapalli
UTBYTE  martin.nicolussi67@gmail.com    Martin Nicolussi
MPAEM   jaya.prabhu95@gmail.com Jaya Prabhu Uthayasurian

• calling two-course board meetings (1 & 2) - notes from meeting two will be published on the course homepage
• presenting a view on the course at the course board meeting
• improving the course before the course's next run (say, before the next academic year)
• adding items to the course questionnaire.

Content

The course consists of 8 parts (A-G + H=End-of-life)

• A - Introduction
• B - Reinforcements & matrices
• C - Manufacturing
• D - Elastic & hygrothermal properties
• E - The interface region
• F - Performance
• G - Polymer nanocomposites
• H - End-of-life

The frameworks of materials science and engineering, mechanics of heterogeneous materials, as well as manufacturing techniques, are used in the course to study the chain: manufacturing-structure-performances in service. Particular attention is given to the near-fibre region (interphase) as the reinforcement-matrix interaction is crucial for composites. Manufacturing is necessarily included as designing with composites is strictly related to manufacturing. Important performances: stiffness, strength, fracture, toughness, fatigue, creep, damping, and lightweight performance. Although the course is predominantly a materials course, some aspects of design are included. A project is included in the course, where project teams will be formed to advance an application of composites, first of all by applying course knowledge and widening knowledge with literature.

To summarise, this course goes some distance in building a complete knowledge of these important materials.

A recommended course helping you to read the present one is Polymer processing and properties (MTT090), although a fundamental course in polymeric materials is a possible alternative. 

Schedule tentative

 

 

TimeEdit

Course literature

• Compendium Composite and nanocomposite materials, Ed. 6, 2012 compiled in the Department of Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Chalmers. The compendium includes PMCs, CMCs and MMCs.
• Slides from the lectures and seminars.
• Scientific articles on the specific project

 

 

Tutorials

The tutorials timetable is included in the table above. Selected composites / nanocomposites will be prepared in the lab. Some solutions are given in the compendium. All solutions will be posted on the course homepage after each tutorial.

Course design

Learning objectives 

• Structure of the area of composites.
• Handle applications and judge composites according to various criteria.
• Apply/inform/describe methods, updates, impacts, and challenges in the field of composites.
• Synthesize/explain from constituents through structure through interactions through processing to properties to performance to applications.
• Apply knowledge of physics, materials and mechanics, and new knowledge of types of fillers/fibres and matrices, and interactions between them, towards improved, high-quality materials and their performances. This is a step toward cost/profile analysis in your future job.
• Apply knowledge acquired through studying course parts A-G and H End-of-life to prepare your own application (project, problem-based learning, PBL).
• Implement micromechanics and macro-mechanics approaches.
• Conclude/judge/compare the more increased complexity in the analysis of composites (examination and self-reflections).

 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

Study plan

TIMETABLE

tentative timetable 

 

Exam at Johannesberg Capus on: October 31^st  08:30-12:30

Tutorial/consultation time with the examiner: every Tuesday 12-14 and anytime by mail to giadal@chalmers.se

 

Examination form

COMPULSORY ACTIVITIES

There are four compulsory activities in the course:

• Experimental-lab
• Project (report and presentation)
• visit at a company (to be decided)
• examination

ELECTIVE ACTIVITIES (for high grades)

• Personal reflections

Polymer-LAB

Lab Instruction for the preparation of selected biocomposites/bionanocomposites useful for the implementation of the project will be provided. The lab consists of two parts: preparation (carried out in the polymer lab) and characterization (mechanical tensile tests). In the preparation stage, you need to acquaint yourself with the melt-processing of the bio(nano)composites. Material selection and processing methodology need to be handed to and approved by the lab instructor before the order to be admitted to the lab. During the lab, melt extrusion/compounding/mixing and compression/injection moulding for specimens manufacturing will be implemented by using different equipment, and the obtained result will be compared with literature ones, and implemented in the mechanics. For lab dates - see the timetable.

Approval of the lab: you will prepare a group report and submit it to the lab instructors Angelica avella@chalmers.se and Enrica enricap@chalmers.se

You need to actively take part in the lab activities and the preparation of the lab report. A group lab report needs to be approved.

 

PROJECT: WRITTEN REPORT AND PRESENTATION

Project-based learning (PBL) is included in the course in the form of a Project. It constitutes about 50% of the course. Points earned (max. 30 p) will be added to exam points.

Why Project? Nowadays, through the professional career of engineers and scientists, working both in industry and academia as well as other fields, preparing reports and presentations for different target audiences is a significant part of one’s work routine.

Thus, the project has two parts: (i) a written report and (ii) a presentation of the project.

The project will be carried out in teams (of a minimum of two to five students). 

You will deal with an application of bionanocomposites and document your findings (the report).

In the end, you will prepare a team presentation which will be graded.

All members of the team will receive the same number of points.

 

The project constitutes about 30% of the course. Points earned (max. 30 p) will be added to exam points (max 15p for the written report, max 15p for the oral presentation).

Project topics: any applications of polymeric bionanocomposites you are interested to find out more about and that can potentially replace a conventional (oil-based) plastic (including all the parts of the course A-G + H critical aspects of their end-of-life), compared to a current or traditional application of PMCs, Guidelines and examples will be given in the introductory lessons.

• The examiner together with the teachers and lab assistants will select the project team members, which then will propose a project topic (the project SHOULD include all 8 parts of the compendium (A-G=7 parts) and the end-of-life aspects (H=1 part) of an agreed bionanocomposite, including the part of calculations of parts D and F) and register the application and team members with Giada (giadal@chalmers.se) by Friday 2025/09/16. A template for the project will be provided by the lab instructors.

Compulsory tasks:

• Task 1) Provide a group agreement
• Task 2) Actively participate to a project and provide a project report*
• Task 3) Present orally the content of the project report

 

• Note:
• The report must include all the learning outcomes.
• Each group each group must motivate its selection, identify the challenges, and prove independence or uniqueness in their approach and conclusions.
• The project report is peer reviewed, and after by the examiner and a resubmission is asked before the end of the course for pass/fail evaluation.

 

• Criteria for pass
• Proven ability to link the background with the proposed project report, ability to account for the content, and ability to analyze the content of the project report by:
• Accomplish all the 3 tasks in all their parts.
• Earn minimum 15 points = minimum 10 p from the report + minumum 5 p from the oral presentation

 

 PERSONAL REFLECTION titled “the bionanocomposite of the future” for high grades (grade 4 and 5)

 

Earn additional 20 points by writing personal reflections (task 4) = Well-chosen examples (max 10 points, enabling grade 4) + clear account and good arguments for assumptions and validity (max 10 points, enabling grade 5).

 

Task 4) Write a personal reflection (max 1 page) which reflects on the five general learning outcomes of course.

 

Note: 1.     The reflection proposes an innovative sustainable bionanocomposite and justifies why it is innovative and sustainable, including all the learning outcomes of the course.   Criteria for high grades (grade 4 and 5) §     Accomplish all the task 4 in all its parts.

 

EXAMINATION

A written examination (in English) will take place at the end of the quarter, at Johanneberg Campus. If the need arises, a re-sit (re-examination, omtenta) will take place in January, also Johanneberg Campus. Exam papers can include questions from parts A to G, End-of-life AND topics related to invited lectures and the visit to a company, each question carrying a given amount of points in proportion to the number of lecture hours. The maximum amount of points is 100: 30p (max.) from the written examination + 50 p (max.) from the project (25 points for the report, 25 points for the presentation) + 20 p (max) from personal reflection. The following materials are allowed during the examination: approved type of calculator (Casio Fx82, Texas TI30, Sharp ELW531), standard mathematical tables, for example, Beta, dictionary.

 

Missed deadlines and revisions need the approval of the examiner.

TO PASS THE EXAM YOU NEED:

• Pass the examination with minimum 25 points out of 50 p (project points not included)
• The project needs to gain at least 15 points out of 30 p (max 15 points for the report, max 15 points for oral presentation).
• The lab report needs to be approved.
• The participation in the visit to the company 

FOR HIGH GRADE 4 and 5:

• Self-reflections (max 1 page) with max 20p that will be added to overall results.

 

The final grade is based on the overall result, meaning if passed the examination will be complemented by the project and (eventually) self reflections’s points.

Preliminary grading is:

 40-59 p for grade 3,

60-79 p for grade 4,

and at least 80 p for grade 5.

 

WELCOME TO THE COURSE AND GOOD LUCK!

Team 1
Team 2
Team 3
Team 4

 

• Students not present when the teams have been randomly composed. Their presence on the course and then the project need to be confirmed.