Stochastic Numerical Simulation for the Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Filled Polymer Composites

Abstract

Reinforced polymeric composites are profoundly used in variety of applications due to its high strength to weight ratio and ease of fabrication. The wide spread application of reinforced polymeric materials in the electronic industries have created a great demand in fabricating a kind of reinforced polymeric system, which is light but has better mechanical strength and good thermal properties. Especially glass microsphere filled epoxy resin composites is used as a potting compound in electronic and aviation industries. Therefore, knowledge of the fundamental thermal and mechanical properties of these systems is highly essential in the formulation of advanced electronic potting compounds. In this work, the effective mechanical properties of glass microsphere filled epoxy system is investigated numerically by stochastic simulation. Numerical simulation software ANSYS is used to characterise the microstructure of the filled epoxy system. MATLAB code has been developed to model the randomness of the particle. The geometric model generated from the MATLAB code is given as an input to ANSYS. Random particle Representative Volume Element (RVE) model is used to evaluate the mechanical properties at various loading fractions. The effect of particle size on mechanical properties of glass microsphere filled epoxy composite is studied. Further the random RVE modeling scheme is compared with single RVE modeling scheme and its significance is reported. The numerically predicted values of effective modulus is then compared with the analytical models and with the literature experimental data. Also the significance of the analytical model on the determination of properties is reported. Then, the effect of interface on the mechanical characterisation by stochastic model is analysed and the debonding of the particle is also simulated.

Micromechanical Modeling for Tensile Properties of Wood Plastic Composites: Use of Pruned Waste from Pecan Orchards as Sustainable Material for Reinforcement of Thermoplastic Composite

“…The mechanical properties of composites have been predicted using several micromechanical models. Various studies [ 11 , 15 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] have analyzed tensile properties based on experimental testing and theoretical modeling using models developed by Reuss, Vought, Hirsch, Halpin-Tsai, Modified Bowyer and Bader, among others, where the predicted values of the composites did not fit the test data very well. Little research has been performed on composites developed from tree pruning waste; specifically, reports from pecan trees are very limited.…”

Investigation of packaging adhesive properties by molecular dynamics and experiments

“…[5][6] However, the polymer property is critically related to the parameters of curing process during which the polymer transforms into solid state from liquid state, therefore, to obtain the property experimentally is very complicated and expensive. [7][8][9][10] Consequently, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation becomes a powerful tool for analyzing polymer materials as it bridges a connection between macroscopic property and microscopic mechanisms.…”