A combined numerical and experimental study for characterizing interfacial properties of polyoxymethylene–calcium carbonate nanocomposites in tensile state

Abstract

In this research, experimental and numerical approaches used simultaneously to discover the mechanical properties of interphase region formed in polyoxymethylene (POM)/calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanocomposites. For acquiring interphase thickness, differential scanning calorimetry thermo-analytical data were incorporated by assuming that the whole crystallization of polymer matrix developed only in the interphase region. An inverse mode of a micromechanical equation known as effective interface model was used to acquire the interphase stiffness tensor. To obtain tensile strength of interphase region, a parametric study was designed and proceeded using finite element analysis method. The formations of interphase regions in POM/CaCO3 nanocomposites, which had 25–85% higher modulus and 10–50% higher strength than matrix led to as high as 40% and 14% improvements in the nanocomposite Young’s modulus and tensile strength, respectively. The proposed method provides further accuracy in obtaining interphase properties of crystalline polymers reinforced by mineral nanoparticles.