Complete acoustic band gaps in periodic fibre reinforced composite materials: the carbon/epoxy composite and some metallic systems

Abstract

We present results of elastic band structure for two-dimensional composite materials, composed of periodical square arrays of parallel cylinders in a background. We reveal, for the first time, the existence of several very large complete band gaps in the band structure of a material of practical interest such as a C fibre reinforced epoxy composite. Within these gaps the propagation of acoustic waves is forbidden. The influence of the geometry of the cylinders and the effect of the composition of the composite material on the band structure are studied. We also compare these results with those obtained for metallic composites such as W (Al) cylinders in an Al (W) matrix. The complete band gaps are observed in the cases of C cylinders in epoxy or W cylinders in Al, but not in the opposite situations. We discuss the existence of these gaps in relation to the physical parameters of the materials involved.