Abstract
The effective bending modulus of layer-graded polymer nanocomposites (LGPNCs) was investigated using finite element modeling (FEM). Five uniform layers of LGPNCs were prepared with varying weight fractions of alumina as the filler material and epoxy as the matrix, ranging from 0% to 1% along their thicknesses. MATLAB code was developed to create representative volume element (RVE) samples, and ANSYS APDL was used for the analysis. The study examined the effect of the shape, weight fraction, and orientation of the nanorod reinforcement on the effective flexural modulus of LGPNCs and polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). The study explored the influence of the interface between the matrix and the nanofillers on the effective modulus of LGPNCs. The simulations results revealed that cylindrical nanorod led to enhanced bending strength in LGPNCs, while such improvements were not observed with spherical nanofillers. The results were compared to the modified Mori-Tanaka (MT) method and showed a high degree of agreement.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
