Simulation of dynamic mechanical and viscoelastic behavior in polymer/clay nanocomposites

Abstract

Viscoelastic behavior of a polymer‐based composite displays the energy storage and damping capabilities of the composite. Simulation and numerical modeling of viscoelastic behavior can aid to estimate the viscoelastic data and optimize the formulations of composites. It is possible to simulate the viscoelastic behavior of a polymeric composite by using the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) data of pure polymeric matrix and elastic properties of reinforcement. In this study, three‐dimensional FE analysis was performed to study the viscoelastic behavior of poly(butylene terephthalate)(PBT)/polyurethane/clay nanocomposite by employing representative volumetric element and explicit dynamic analysis. A modified generalized Maxwell model was employed to express the viscoelastic behavior of polymer matrix. Experimental results of DMA for PBT/polyurethane and also elastic data of nanoclay were used in the finite element modeling, and subsequently, the storage and loss moduli of nanocomposite were predicted. The results of simulations were close to those of experiments particularly at low clay content (2 wt%). The aggregation of clays at higher content (4 wt%), increased the differences between experimental and FEM results.

Tailoring the graphene oxide chemical structure and morphology as a key to polypropylene nanocomposite performance

“…[ 60,62 ] This was previously observed in poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/clay composites, where the polymer chains lose mobility and increase E′ and E″ due to stress transfer between polymer/filler in a system with good interfacial adhesion, good filler's dispersion and distribution in the polymer matrix and with high filler's specific surface area. [ 63 ] A similar trend was observed in the systems presented herein, indicating a good distribution and dispersion of GO‐S within the PP matrix, in concentrations between 0.1 and 1 wt%, which is an indication that 0.1 wt% of GO‐S is well exfoliated in the PP.…”

Predicting and Controlling Ribbing Instabilities of Carbon Nanotube–PDMS Thin‐Film Systems for Multifunctional Applications

“…Based on experimental DMA results, [12,14] it can be assumed that the CNT-PDMS paste can be represented as a viscoelastic material. The shear storage and loss moduli of a material as a function of angular frequency (ω) can be expressed by an n-term Prony series viscoelastic material model as [23,30]…”

“…CNTs have been used as inclusions in polymer films for multifunctional applications, such as highly sensitive strain gauges, [17][18][19] biosensors, [19] and energy harvesters, [19,20] because of their exceptional strength, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity with minimal additional weight. [12,14,[21][22][23] Other nanosized fillers include metal or ceramic oxides and carbon nanofibers, and could be introduced to tailor the thermal or electrical conductivity or flame retardancy in addition to providing mechanical strength. [24] The addition of these fillers to a matrix allows the shear moduli of the uncured material to stabilize in the low-frequency regime and the elastic modulus of the cured composite to increase compared to the neat polymer.…”

Effects of silane‐modified nano‐CaCO3 particles on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy (CF/EP) composites

“…[1,2] The use of nanoparticles has attracted considerable attention among the scientists to overcome these issues. The most widely used nanoparticles in the literature are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] silica, [11][12][13] clay, [14,15] graphene [16][17][18] and their hybrids. [19][20][21] However, the use of carbon-based nanoparticles is restricted in the aerospace industry due to various drawbacks such as their high cost and significant toxicity to the environment and human health.…”