Abstract
The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the elastic properties of polystyrene-based nanocomposites filled with different types of inclusions: small spherical particles (SiO2 and Al2O3), alumosilicates (montmorillonite, halloysite natural tubules and mica), and carbon nanofillers (carbon black and multi-walled carbon nanotubes). Block samples of composites with different filler concentrations were fabricated by melt technology, and their linear and non-linear elastic properties were studied. The introduction of more rigid particles led to a more profound increase in the elastic modulus of a composite, with the highest rise of about 80% obtained with carbon fillers. Non-linear elastic moduli of composites were shown to be more sensitive to addition of filler particles to the polymer matrix than linear ones. A non-linearity modulus βs comprising the combination of linear and non-linear elastic moduli of a material demonstrated considerable changes correlating with those of the Young’s modulus. The changes in non-linear elasticity of fabricated composites were compared with parameters of bulk non-linear strain waves propagating in them. Variations of wave velocity and decay decrement correlated with the observed enhancement of materials’ non-linearity.
Highlights
Micro- and nano-structured composites have become very popular nowadays in various engineering applications, see e.g., [1]
Temperature ranges optimal for polystyrene processing by melt technology, i.e., temperature in the extruder chamber and mold temperature, were evaluated by thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) using DSC 204 F1 (NETZSCH-Gerätebau GmbH, Selb, Germany)
The most pronounced rise was observed with the introduction of MMT, carbon nanotubes (CNT) and Al2 O3 at high concentrations
Summary
Micro- and nano-structured composites have become very popular nowadays in various engineering applications, see e.g., [1]. Most of them contain ordered inclusions, i.e., they are manufactured in the form of a matrix filled with oriented filaments made of another material. Numerous examples can be mentioned in this context, from rebar-reinforced concrete to carbon- and boron-reinforced composites used in solar batteries. Numerous examples have been published recently demonstrating significant advantages of nanocomposites over matrix materials, see e.g., [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11], in particular in view of their enhanced mechanical properties and potential multifunctionality. Composites on the base of polymer matrices with various nano-sized fillers are one of the most widely used classes of nanocomposites
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