Investigation of the Stiffness and Strength of Particulate Composites by Means of a Variant Cubic Model and SEM Fractography Microscopic Approach

Emilio Sideridis,Victor Kytopoulos,John Venetis,Antonis Kampouroglou

doi:10.13189/mst.2018.050101

Abstract

In this article the stiffness of particulate composites is determined by the use of a multivariant three-phase model. This model consists of the transformation of spatial cubic models; it simulates a particulate composite into a three-sphere model, designating the two main phases of the composite material, the filler and the matrix, and applying the classical theory of elasticity to it. Theoretical results derived from this model are compared with experimental results derived from tensile tests carried out with iron particle reinforced epoxy resin composites and also with other theoretical results given by other researchers. In this context, an attempt is made to give, in a somewhat tentative way, a semiquantitative explanation of certain discrepancies observed between experimental data and the theory concerning the elastic modulus as well as experimental data concerning some fracture parameters on the basis of a macroscopic and a fractography-aided microscopic approach.

Highlights

Composite materials are among the materials that have recently undergone a marked degree of technological development and their use has increased in recent years
The addition of metal particles into polymeric matrices results in composite materials that are characterized by enhanced mechanical properties such as their moduli and their fracture toughness
The Investigation of the Stiffness and Strength of Particulate Composites by Means of a Variant Cubic Model and SEM Fractography Microscopic Approach particle interactions make no contribution to the effective modulus

Summary

Introduction

Composite materials are among the materials that have recently undergone a marked degree of technological development and their use has increased in recent years. There have been many research works carried out for the determination of the properties of particulate composites and for the investigation of the effect of filler-matrix, particle interaction. The Investigation of the Stiffness and Strength of Particulate Composites by Means of a Variant Cubic Model and SEM Fractography Microscopic Approach particle interactions make no contribution to the effective modulus. Variations of a microstructural composite model of a regular geometry and topology simulating the basic cell of the composite were adopted This model was transformed to a three-phase spherical representative volume element in order to apply the classical theory of elasticity for a solution to the problem. We have the unit cells of the models designated as Ml, M2, and M3 respectively

Theoretical Analysis

Experimental Work

Results and Discussion

Conclusions