Introduction to Aerospace Materials

Adrian P. Mouritz is Professor of Aerospace Materials at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia.

"This comprehensive undergraduate text is descriptive, mathematical and factual in equal measure…This is a sound, well-written text that encourages one to read on – a text no undergraduate (worth his/her place) would ever call boring." --The Aeronautical Journal, August 2013"This comprehensive undergraduate text is descriptive, mathematical and factual in equal measure. This is a sound, well-written text that encourages one to read on – a text no undergraduate (worth his/her place) would ever call boring. The book is good value for money." --The Aeronautical Journal

• PrefaceChapter 1: Introduction to aerospace materials1.1 The importance of aerospace materials1.2 Understanding aerospace materials1.3 Introducing the main types of aerospace materials1.4 What makes for a good aerospace material?1.5 SummaryChapter 2: Aerospace materials: past, present and future2.1 Introduction2.2 Brief history of aerospace materials2.3 Materials for the global aerospace industry2.4 Future advances in aerospace materials2.5 SummaryChapter 3: Materials and material requirements for aerospace structures and engines3.1 Introduction3.2 Fixed-wing aircraft structures3.3 Helicopter structures3.4 Space shuttle structures3.5 SummaryChapter 4: Strengthening of metal alloys4.1 Introduction4.2 Crystal structure of metals4.3 Defects in crystal structures4.4 Strengthening of metals4.5 Summary4.6 TerminologyChapter 5: Mechanical and durability testing of aerospace materials5.1 Introduction5.2 Tension test5.3 Compression test5.4 Flexure test5.5 Hardness test5.6 Fracture test5.7 Drop-weight impact test5.8 Fatigue test5.9 Creep test5.10 Environmental durability testing5.11 Certification of aerospace materials5.12 Summary5.13 TerminologyChapter 6: Production and casting of aerospace metals6.1 Introduction6.2 Production of metal alloys6.3 Casting of metal alloys6.4 Casting processes6.5 Summary6.6 Terminology6.8 Case study: casting defects causing engine disc failure in United Airlines flight 232Chapter 7: Processing and machining of aerospace metals7.1 Introduction7.2 Metal-forming processes7.3 Hot and cold working of metal products7.4 Powder metallurgy for production of aerospace superalloys7.5 Machining of metals7.6 Summary7.7 TerminologyChapter 8: Aluminium alloys for aircraft structures8.1 Introduction8.2 Aluminium alloy types8.3 Non-age-hardenable aluminium alloys8.4 Age-hardenable aluminium alloys8.5 Speciality aluminium alloys8.6 Heat treatment of age-hardenable aluminium alloys8.7 High-temperature strength of aluminium8.8 SummaryChapter 9: Titanium alloys for aerospace structures and engines9.1 Introduction9.2 Titanium alloys: advantages and disadvantages for aerospace applications9.3 Types of titanium alloy9.4 Titanium aluminides9.5 Shape-memory titanium alloys9.6 Summary9.7 TerminologyChapter 10: Magnesium alloys for aerospace structures10.1 Introduction10.2 Metallurgy of magnesium alloys10.3 SummaryChapter 11: Steels for aircraft structures11.1 Introduction11.2 Basic principles of steel metallurgy11.3 Maraging steel11.4 Medium-carbon low-alloy steel11.5 Stainless steel11.6 Summary11.7 TerminologyChapter 12: Superalloys for gas turbine engines12.1 Introduction12.2 A simple guide to jet engine technology12.3 Nickel-based superalloys12.4 Iron–nickel superalloys12.5 Cobalt superalloys12.6 Thermal barrier coatings for jet engine alloys12.7 Advanced materials for jet engines12.8 SummaryChapter 13: Polymers for aerospace structures13.1 Introduction13.2 Aerospace applications of polymers13.3 Advantages and disadvantages of polymers for aerospace applications13.4 Polymerisation13.5 Thermosetting polymers13.6 Thermoplastics13.7 Elastomers13.8 Structural adhesives13.9 Mechanical properties of polymers13.10 Polymer additives13.11 Polymers for radar-absorbing materials (RAMs)13.12 Summary13.13 Terminology13.15 Case study: space shuttle Challenger accidentChapter 14: Manufacturing of fibre–polymer composite materials14.1 Introduction14.2 Fibre reinforcements for composites14.3 Production of prepregs and fabrics14.4 Core materials for sandwich composites14.5 Composites manufacturing using prepreg14.6 Composites manufacturing by resin infusion14.7 Machining of composites14.8 Summary14.9 Terminology14.11 Case study: carbon nanotubes in compositesChapter 15: Fibre–polymer composites for aerospace structures and engines15.1 Introduction15.2 Types of composite materials15.3 Aerospace applications of fibre–polymer composites15.4 Advantages and disadvantages of using fibre-polymer composites15.5 Mechanics of continuous-fibre composites15.6 Sandwich composites15.7 Environmental durability of composites15.8 Summary15.9 TerminologyChapter 16: Metal matrix, fibre–metal and ceramic matrix composites for aerospace applications16.1 Metal matrix composites16.2 Fibre–metal laminates16.3 Ceramic matrix composites16.4 Summary16.5 Terminology16.7 Case study: ceramic matrix composites in the space shuttle orbiterChapter 17: Wood in small aircraft construction17.1 Introduction17.2 Advantages and disadvantages of wood17.3 Hardwoods and softwoods17.4 Structure and composition of wood17.5 Engineering properties of wood17.6 Summary17.7 Terminology17.9 Case study: Spruce Goose (Hughes H-4 Hercules)Chapter 18: Fracture processes of aerospace materials18.1 Introduction18.2 Fracture processes of aerospace materials18.3 Stress concentration effects in materials18.4 Fracture mechanics18.5 Application of fracture mechanics to aerospace materials18.6 Summary18.7 Terminology18.9 Case study fracture in the space shuttle Columbia disaster18.10 Case study: fracture of aircraft composite radomeChapter 19: Fracture toughness properties of aerospace materials19.1 Introduction19.2 Fracture toughness properties19.3 Ductile/brittle fracture transition for metals19.4 Improving the fracture toughness of aerospace materials19.5 Summary19.6 TerminologyChapter 20: Fatigue of aerospace materials20.1 Introduction20.2 Fatigue stress20.3 Fatigue life (S–N) curves20.4 Fatigue-crack growth curves20.5 Fatigue of metals20.6 Fatigue of fibre–polymer composites20.7 Fretting, acoustic and thermal fatigue20.8 Summary20.9 TerminologyChapter 21: Corrosion of aerospace metals21.1 Introduction21.2 Corrosion process21.3 Types of corrosion21.4 Corrosion protection of metals21.5 Summary21.6 Terminology21.8 Case study: corrosion in the Aloha Airlines flight 243Chapter 22: Creep of aerospace materials22.1 Introduction22.2 Creep behaviour of materials22.3 Creep of metals22.4 Creep of polymers and polymer composites22.5 Creep-resistant materials22.6 Summary22.7 TerminologyChapter 23: Nondestructive inspection and structural health monitoring of aerospace materials23.1 Introduction23.2 Nondestructive inspection methods23.3 Structural health monitoring (SHM)23.4 Summary23.5 TerminologyChapter 24: Disposal and recycling of aerospace materials24.1 Introduction24.2 Metal recycling24.3 Composite recycling24.4 SummaryChapter 25: Materials selection for aerospace25.1 Introduction25.2 Materials selection in design25.3 Stages of materials selection25.4 Materials property charts25.5 Structural properties in materials selection25.6 Economic and business considerations in materials selection25.7 Manufacturing considerations in materials selection25.8 Durability considerations in materials selection25.9 Environmental considerations in materials selection25.10 Specialist properties in materials selection25.11 Summary25.12 TerminologyIndex