Micromechanics-based modelling of stiffness and yield stress for silica/polymer nanocomposites

Abstract

a b s t r a c tEstablishing structure-property relationships for nanoparticle/polymer composites is a fundamental task for a reliable design of such new systems. A micromechanical analytical model is proposed in the present work, in order to address the problem of stiffness and yield stress prediction in the case of nanocomposites consisting of silica nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix. It takes into account an interphase corresponding to a perturbed region of the polymer matrix around the nanoparticles. Its modulus is continuously graded from that of the silica nanoparticle to that of the polymer matrix. Considering the thickness of the third phase as a characteristic length scale, the influence of particle size on the overall nanocomposite behaviour is examined. The key role of the interphase on both the overall stiffness and yield stress is studied and the model output is compared to experimental data of various silica spherical nanoparticle/polymer composites extracted from the literature. The model is also used to examine the influence of interphase features on the overall nanocomposite behaviour. A finite element analysis is then achieved and the numerical results are validated using the analytical predictions. Local stress and strain distributions are analysed in order to understand the phenomena occurring at the nano-scale.

The Effects of Interphase and Interface Characteristics on the Tensile Behaviour of POM/CaCO3 Nanocomposites

“…In the second RVE model, the effective interface model (EIM) was used and it was assumed that the equivalent-continuum interphase region was continuous and homogeneous [17], assuming an elastic modulus of 3.5 GPa for the interphase region (which is relatively more than that of the bulk polymer modulus (2.7 GPa)). In modelling the third RVE, a graded interphase [25] was incorporated in 10 different layers. The layers' moduli and Poisson coefficients varied exponentially along the particle radius between matrix and particle using equation (8) [17]:…”

“…The identification of the mechanical properties of the interphase and its modelling procedure both have a significant impact on the accurate prediction of nanocomposites' tensile properties [24]. [25]. Peng et al developed a computational model to estimate the moduli of nano-reinforced polymer composites by taking into account the interface and particle-clustering effects [20].…”

Characterizing and Modeling Mechanical Properties of Nanocomposites-Review and Evaluation

“…This interphase is a transition region, which extends nanometers to micrometers over which the mechanical and physical properties change from the properties of filler to the properties of the matrix. Among many researchers who studied the nanocomposites interphase behavior, Boutaleb et al [156] investigated the influence of interphase on the overall behavior of silica spherical nanoparticle/polymer composites by means of analytical and finite element methods. Fig.…”

Nonlinear free vibration analysis of elastically supported carbon nanotube-reinforced composite beam with the thermal environment in non-deterministic framework

“…Shen and Xiang [15] studied the behaviors of large amplitude vibration, nonlinear bending and thermal post buckling of elastically supported nanocomposite beams reinforced by SWCNTsin thermal environments. S. Boutaleb et al [16] proposed a micromechanical analytical model for the problem of stiffness and yield stress prediction in the case of nanocomposite consisting of silica nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix.…”