Abstract
In this work, a new composite material with excellent dynamic impact resistance and outstanding quasi-static mechanical properties was synthesized. The composite material is composed of a polyurethane elastomer and a novel nano-polymer. The nano-polymer was composed of silane coupling agent-modified alumina microspheres and functionalized ionic liquids by double bond polymerization. The universal testing machine and split Hopkinson pressure bar were used to characterize the compression behavior, strength and energy absorption of the composite materials under static and dynamic conditions. Additionally, the comprehensive mechanical properties of polyurethane elastomer with different nano-polymer loadings (0.5–2.5 wt.%) were studied. The results show that whether it was static compression or dynamic impact, the polyurethane elastomer with 1% nano-polymer had the best performance. For the composite material with the best properties, its compressive yield strength under the static compression was about 61.13% higher than that of the pure polyurethane elastomer, and its energy absorption of dynamic impacts was also increased by about 15.53%. Moreover, the shape memory effect was very good (shape recovery is approximately 95%), and the microscopic damage degree was relatively small. This shows that the composite material with the best properties can withstand high compression loads and high-speed impacts. The developed composite material is a promising one for materials science and engineering, especially for protection against compression and impacts.
Highlights
The compression resistance of Polyurethane elastomer (PUE)-1%ionic liquids (ILs)@Al2 O3 is much better than those of the other two groups, which may be because the IL can improve the dispersion of nano-Al2 O3 particles to a certain extent, and nano-Al2 O3 has a certain connection with PUE matrix molecules (A component: –NCO) through the grafted functional groups of IL (–OH)
The novel nano-polymer was prepared via double bond polymerization between KH570-Al2 O3 and a designed IL ([EOHMIm][Br]) with special functional groups (C=C and -OH)
The nano-polymer was creatively applied to a PUE matrix to prepare a new type of high-strength and impact-resistant composite material (PUE-IL@Al2 O3 )
Summary
In military, industrial and civil settings, many unpredictable impactdamage attacks have occurred all over the world, such as low-speed extrusions and high-speed collisions. These events cause damage to vehicles, aircraft, ships and buildings, and cause many casualties and property loss. It is urgent to improve the protective performance of engineering structures [1,2]. How to effectively resist the impact of an external attack on some target objects has always been a research hotspot for engineers and scholars in modern society. Researchers have paid more attention to the impact resistance and energy absorption properties of elastomer composite materials
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