A study of the mechanical properties of short natural-fiber reinforced composites

The degree of fiber–matrix adhesion and its effect on the mechanical reinforcement of short henequen fibers and a polyethylene matrix was studied. The surface treatments were: an alkali treatment, a silane coupling agent and the pre-impregnation process of the HDPE/xylene solution. The presence of Si–O–cellulose and Si–O–Si bonds on the lignocellulosic surface confirmed that the silane coupling agent was efficiently held on the fibres surface through both condensation with cellulose hydroxyl groups and self-condensation between silanol groups.

The fiber–matrix interface shear strength (IFSS) was used as an indicator of the fiber–matrix adhesion improvement, and also to determine a suitable value of fiber length in order to process the composite with relative ease. It was noticed that the IFSS observed for the different fiber surface treatments increased and such interface strength almost doubled only by changing the mechanical interaction and the chemical interactions between fiber and matrix.

HDPE-henequen fiber composite materials were prepared with a 20% v/v fiber content and the tensile, flexural and shear properties were studied. The comparison of tensile properties of the composites showed that the silane treatment and the matrix-resin pre-impregnation process of the fiber produced a significant increase in tensile strength, while the tensile modulus remained relatively unaffected. The increase in tensile strength was only possible when the henequen fibers were treated first with an alkaline solution. It was also shown that the silane treatment produced a significant increase in flexural strength while the flexural modulus also remained relatively unaffected. The shear properties of the composites also increased significantly, but, only when the henequen fibers were treated with the silane coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the composites failure surfaces also indicated that there is an improved adhesion between fiber and matrix. Examination of the failure surfaces also indicated differences in the interfacial failure mode. With increasing fiber–matrix adhesion the failure mode changed from interfacial failure and considerable fiber pull-out from the matrix for the untreated fiber to matrix yielding and fiber and matrix tearing for the alkaline, matrix-resin pre-impregnation and silane treated fibers.     

Adhesion of PBO fiber in epoxy composites

A composite of poly p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole (PBO) fiber and epoxy resin has excellent electrical insulation properties. However, it is a challenging issue to improve its mechanical properties because of poor adhesion between PBO fiber and matrix. The relatively smooth and chemically inactive surface of PBO fiber prevent efficient chemical bonding in the composite interface. Here, we report the surface modification of PBO fibers by UV irradiation, O₂ and NH₃ plasma, as well as acidic treatments. We found that the surface free energy and roughness are increased for both sized and extracted fibers after plasma treatments together with maleic anhydride grafting. The sized fiber shows marginal improvement in adhesion strength and no change in fiber tensile strength because of the barrier effect of the finish. For the extracted fiber, however, the tensile strength of the fiber is sensitive to surface treatment conditions and considerable strength reduction occurred, particularly for cases of acidic treatments and UV irradiation. This is because that the treatments increase the surface roughness and introduce more surface flaws. The extracted fiber surface has no adequate wetting and functional groups, which in turn results in coarse interface structures and causes reduction or no apparent variation of the adhesion strength. The fracture surfaces after single fiber pull-out tests exhibit adhesive interfacial failure along the fiber surface, which is further confirmed by similar adhesion strength and interlaminar shear strength values when the fiber was embedded in various epoxy resins with different temperature behavior.     

Strength statistics of adhesive contact between a fibrillar structure and a rough substrate

Equal distribution of load among fibrils in contact with a substrate is an important characteristic of fibrillar structures used by many small animals and insects for contact and adhesion. This is in contrast with continuum systems where stress concentration dominates interfacial failure. In this work, we study how adhesion strength of a fibrillar system depends on substrate roughness and variability of the fibril structure, which are modelled using probability distributions for fibril length and fibril attachment strength. Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to determine the adhesion strength statistics where fibril length follows normal or uniform distribution and attachment strength has a power-law form. Our results indicate that the strength distribution is Gaussian (normal) for both the uniform and the normal distributions for length. However, the fibrillar structure having normally distributed lengths has higher strength and lower toughness than one having uniformly distributed lengths. Our simulations also show that an increase in the compliance of the fibrils can compensate for both the substrate roughness and the attachment strength variation. We also show that, as the number of fibrils n increases, the load-carrying efficiency of each fibril goes down. For large n, this effect is found to be small. Furthermore, this effect is compensated by the fact that the standard deviation of the adhesive strength decreases as 1/ square root n.     

Failure mode and strength of uni-directional composite single lap bonded joints with different bonding methods

Failure process, mode and strength of unidirectional composite single lap bonded joints were investigated experimentally with respect to bonding methods, that is, co-curing with or without adhesive and secondary bonding. The co-cured joint specimen without adhesive had the highest failure strength. Progressive failures along an adhesive layer occurred in the secondary bonded specimen. In the co-cured specimen with adhesive film, delamination failure occurred and the joint strength was lower than that of secondary bonded specimens. Delamination failure did not occur in the secondary bonded specimen because of early crack growth and progressive failure in the adhesive layer. Therefore, The failure strength of composite bonded joint is not always proportionate to adhesion strength of adhesive due to the weakness of delamination in composite materials. The influences of surface roughness, bondline thickness and fillets in the secondary bonded specimens were also studied.     

预制与后浇混凝土粘结后的抗折性能分析

为保证装配式混凝土结构叠合面具有良好的粘结性能,对预制与后浇混凝土粘结后的抗折性能进行了研究,分析了不同后浇混凝土强度、粘结面粗糙度、温度及冷却方式对粘结后抗折性能的影响。结果表明:预制与后浇混凝土粘结后的抗折强度随着粘结面粗糙度的增加而显著增大,但随着温度的升高,粗糙度影响作用减小;提高后浇混凝土强度等级并不能有效增大预制与后浇混凝土粘结后的抗折强度,抗折强度随着温度的升高急剧下降,喷水冷却对试件的损伤要比自然冷却严重。     

Factors affecting the static shear strength of the prosthetic stem–bone cement interface

Debonding of the stem–cement interface has been implicated in the initiation of failure of cemented femoral stems. The objective of this work was to examine some of the parameters which influence the interface static shear strength, including surface finish, cement type, pre-treatments and porosity. Surface finish was found to have the greatest effect on the interface strength. Increasing the surface roughness by a factor of 100 increases the interface shear strength by a factor of 20. However, increasing the surface roughness above a certain value was found to have no additional affect. This was due to failure in the cement itself rather than at the cement–stem interface. There were significant differences between some of the different cement types regarding the interface strength. Pre-heating the stem produced a six fold reduction in cement porosity at the stem–cement interface, however, resulting in only a minor influence on the static interface strength. Generally, no significant correlation was found between the cement porosity and the static interfacial shear strength.     

The effect of nanoparticles on the adhesion of epoxy adhesive

In this investigation, the influence of different nanoparticles and surface roughness on the adhesion between epoxy adhesive and steel substrate was primarily investigated. The results of pull-off adhesion tests indicated that nano-Al₂O₃ of the three kinds of nanoparticles had the most influence on adhesion strength, which was the optimal additive for the epoxy adhesive to improve the adhesion strength. Also, it was found that modified by 2% nano-Al₂O₃, the strength multiplication on the surface abraded with silicon carbide paper of 150 grits (150#) was the highest, of three different surface roughness. So, as the results showed that modified by 2% nano-Al₂O₃, the adhesion strength of epoxy adhesive on the surface abraded with 150# was visibly improved by about 5 times. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) displayed nano-Al₂O₃ homogeneously dispersed in epoxy adhesive. Field emission scanning electronic microscope (FE-SEM) revealed that the surface morphology of steel well coincided with that of epoxy adhesive.     

Simulation of synthetic gecko arrays shearing on rough surfaces

To better understand the role of surface roughness and tip geometry in the adhesion of gecko synthetic adhesives, a model is developed that attempts to uncover the relationship between surface feature size and the adhesive terminal feature shape. This model is the first to predict the adhesive behaviour of a plurality of hairs acting in shear on simulated rough surfaces using analytically derived contact models. The models showed that the nanoscale geometry of the tip shape alters the macroscale adhesion of the array of fibres by nearly an order of magnitude, and that on sinusoidal surfaces with amplitudes much larger than the nanoscale features, spatula-shaped features can increase adhesive forces by 2.5 times on smooth surfaces and 10 times on rough surfaces. Interestingly, the summation of the fibres acting in concert shows behaviour much more complex that what could be predicted with the pull-off model of a single fibre. Both the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts and Kendall peel models can explain the experimentally observed frictional adhesion effect previously described in the literature. Similar to experimental results recently reported on the macroscale features of the gecko adhesive system, adhesion drops dramatically when surface roughness exceeds the size and spacing of the adhesive fibrillar features.     

Numerical prediction of load–displacement behaviors of adhesively bonded joints at different extension rates and temperatures

The present work focuses on simulation of nonlinear mechanical behaviors of adhesively bonded DLS (double lap shear) joints for variable extension rates and temperatures using the implicit ABAQUS solver. Load–displacement curves of DLS joints at nine combinations of extension rates and environmental temperatures are initially obtained by conducting tensile tests in a UTM. The joint specimens are made from dual phase (DP) steel coupons bonded with a rubber-toughened adhesive. It is shown that the shell–solid model of a DLS joint, in which substrates are modeled with shell elements and adhesive with solid elements, can effectively predict the mechanical behavior of the joint. Exponent Drucker-Prager or Von Mises yield criterion together with nonlinear isotropic hardening is used for the simulation of DLS joint tests. It has been found that at a low temperature (−20 °C), both Von Mises and exponent Drucker-Prager criteria give close prediction of experimental load–extension curves. However, at a high temperature (82 °C), Von Mises condition tends to yield a perceptibly softer joint behavior, while the corresponding response obtained using exponent Drucker-Prager criterion is much closer to the experimental load–displacement curve.     

Modeling of the Structure of a Bulk Layer

The characteristics of porous layers of a dispersed material have been investigated by the method of computer modeling. A linear growth in the porosity with increase in the adhesive force has been revealed. The statistical distribution functions of the size of pores and their shape have been computed and analyzed for different values of the adhesion forces. The distinctive features of the orientation of pores for different adhesive forces have been noted.__________Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 78, No. 2, pp. 36–43, March–April, 2005.     

芳纶表面改性及其与丁腈橡胶复合材料的性能研究

为增强对位芳纶纤维(PPTA)与丁腈橡胶(NBR)之间的界面粘结强度,采用多巴胺(DA)-硅烷偶联剂对芳纶纤维联合改性并制备PPTA/NBR复合材料。结果表明,纤维改性后表面粗糙度增加;表面元素含量和种类都发生较大变化;在H试样抽出测试中,改性后的PPTA帘线/NBR试样抽出力相对于未改性试样增大64.02%,且黏附橡胶较多。改性后的PPTA/NBR试样,纤维含量相同时,断裂伸长率和拉伸强度相对未改性的PPTA/NBR试样增大;随着纤维含量的增加,使用同种方法处理的PPTA/NBR复合材料断裂伸长率减小,拉伸强度先增大后减小。     

Effects of self-affine surface roughness on the adhesion of metal-polymer interfaces

This paper concentrates on a theoretical examination of the influence of roughness on the adhesive properties along metal-polymer interfaces. An algorithm has been designed to generate a self-affine surface roughness. It has been used to examine influence of the Hurst exponent on the interface strength during a pull-off test of metal-polymer laminates. The generated surfaces are implemented in a cohesive zone model representing the interface between a coated steel and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). From the model it can be concluded that a small increase in surface area is linear with the interface strength. This relation does not hold when the increase in surface area becomes larger than 150%. The deviation from the linear relationship increases with smaller Young’s moduli. This is caused by the reduced elastic energy storage in the polymer when local surface characteristics become more important.     

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the fibre-matrix bond in a steel-resin model composite

The shear strength of the adhesive bond between a steel wire and an epoxy resin has been measured and it has been found that when the composite is under pressure the strength corresponds closely to the shear yield stress of the resin determined in a plane strain compression test. Discrepancies at low pressure may be due to the nucleation of stress-concentrating cracks. Measurements of the friction stress between the wire and the resin as a function of pressure indicated that the coefficient of friction was 0·5 and that the compressive stress at the interface due to resin shrinkage was 7 Nmm^–2 (1000 psi).     

多弧离子镀TiN涂层结合力的影响因素

选择Ｗ６Ｍｏ５Ｃｒ４Ｖ２、３Ｃｒ２Ｗ８Ｖ和ＧＣｒ１５等材料研究了多弧离子镀ＴｉＮ涂层也基体的结合力。结果表明,基体表面粗造度越小、硬度越高,支与基体的结合力越好,涂层厚度以２．５～３．５μｍ为最佳,含Ｖ量高的基体和具有强烈ＴｉＮ（１１１）择优取向的除层结合力好。     

Estimation of the strength of adhesion between a thermoresponsive polymer coating and nitinol wire

As polymer coatings become more widely used in the biomedical device industry, both to improve biocompatibility and as coatings for localised drug delivery, quantitative methods to measure the adhesive strength between coatings and substrates become a very important consideration. The aim of this study was to take a method for estimating the interfacial fracture toughness of a film to a flat substrate and apply it to Nitinol wires used in the production of medical devices. An investigation into the affect of surface roughness on the fracture toughness was also conducted. For the present study, a thermoresponsive based Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) polymer was coated onto nitinol wire substrates and the adhesion strength between the polymer and wire was measured using a nanoindentation technique. Different surface treated nitinol wires, with different surface topography and roughness were used, and the affect of these surface properties on adhesion strength was investigated. Results showed that it was possible to apply the delamination technique to wire samples and obtain fracture toughness values. Results also showed that the surface roughness is an important parameter that can affect the adhesion between a coating and the substrate. It was found that, as the average surface roughness increased so also did the adhesive strength between the coating and wire sample.     

Fracture energy of epoxy resin under plane strain conditions

The fracture behaviour of an epoxy resin has been studied by a method which involves the pressurization of an internal circular crack. The method can be used to study both cohesive fracture and the adhesive failure of an interface. Plane strain conditions are assured because the crack does not intersect a free surface and (for adhesive failure) shrinkage stresses are eliminated as a crack driving force. Using high speed photography, the dependence of crack speed on critical pressure and specimen geometry was determined. An elastic analysis permits the derivation of fracture energy as a function of crack velocity. Fracture energy values lay between 100 and 200 Jm^–3 at 35° C with a peak at a crack velocity of 37 m sec^–1.     

高温下双搭接钢-CFRP板胶粘界面力学性能试验

高温环境下钢-碳纤维增强聚合物复合材料(CFRP)板的胶粘界面是CFRP粘贴加固钢结构的薄弱环节。为掌握温度对钢-CFRP板胶粘界面力学性能的影响,制作了双搭接接头试件,开展了3种胶粘剂在4种温度下(25℃、55℃、70℃和90℃)的静力拉伸试验。探索了接头试件的破坏模式、荷载-位移关系、CFRP板表面应变分布、界面剪应力分布和粘结-滑移关系等。结果表明:当温度低于55℃时,试件的破坏模式与胶粘剂种类相关性更大,当温度高于70℃时,不同胶粘剂的破坏模式具有相似性,且均出现了CFRP板撕裂。温度对不同胶粘试件的承载力影响存在差异,HJY-4105高韧性环氧树脂结构胶粘剂(HJY胶)试件的承载力随温度的升高而增大,LICA-100A/B 环氧树脂结构胶粘剂(LICA胶)试件的温度稳定性较差,Sikadur-30 CN双组份环氧结构加固碳板胶(SIKA30胶)试件在55℃时承载力最高。随着温度升高,胶粘层的剪切强度、界面剪应力峰值和剪切刚度下降,胶粘剂的延性增加,峰值剪应力不影响试件的抗拉强度。温度对粘结-滑移关系的影响显著,HJY胶随着温度的升高,粘结-滑移本构的延性增加,破坏模式由脆性破坏变为延性破坏。研究表明:合理的耐高温胶应用于钢结构加固,能适应自然高温环境的不利影响。      

SANDWICH STRUCTURE DELAMINATION OF RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING

One of the apparent advantages of sandwich structures is that after the core is made, the sandwich is produced in one process by resin transfer molding (RTM) and no adhesive is used between the core and skins. The bond between the core and skins is therefore likely to depend upon the core material, the type of matrix and the core surface roughness. This is of great importance, because the stiffness of the sandwich structure is likely to be reduced by even partial delamination of the core and skins. The objective of this study was to ascertain the effects of manufacturing parameters such as injection pressure, mold temperature, core thickness and core surface roughness on skin/core adhesion using the direct tensile adhesion and peel test methods. Polyurethane foam was used as the core material throughout the work. The major objective was to examine different surface treatment methods by which the strength of the skin-core bond could be improved. The influence of the core surface roughness on the adhesive fracture energy and the delamination between core and skin were also measured. The fracture energy release rate equation was used as the basis for comparison and for measurements of the adhesion. For this purpose a double-cantilever beam was used to characterize the delamination. Critical energy release rate (G_IC) and fracture toughness (K_IC) were calculated using several alternative methods based on linear elastic fracture mechanics.     

Influence of the Loading Rate and the Concentration of an Active Diluent on the Strength of Epoxy Composites and Model Adhesive Compounds

A study has been made of the loading rate and the concentration of an active diluent on the shear strength of unidirectional epoxy glass and carbonfiberreinforced plastics and the adhesion strength of the model compounds fiber–matrix. It has been shown that the values of the strength of the composites and the interface increase with the loading rate. As the concentration increases, the sensitivity to the loading rate follows a curve with a maximum in the adhesive compounds and it remains constant, in practice, in the composites. The results obtained have been employed in discussion of the mechanism of the process of failure of fiberreinforced plastics.     

Low-temperature compaction of Ti–6Al–4V powder using equal channel angular extrusion with back pressure

Equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE), with simultaneous application of back pressure, has been applied to the consolidation of 10 mm diameter billets of pre-alloyed, hydride–dehydride Ti–6Al–4V powder at temperatures ≤400 °C. The upper limit to processing temperature was chosen to minimise the potential for contamination with gaseous constituents potentially harmful to properties of consolidated product. It has been demonstrated that the application of ECAE with imposed hydrostatic pressure permits consolidation to in excess of 96% relative density at temperatures in the range 100–400 °C, and in excess of 98% at 400 °C with applied back pressure ≥175 MPa. ECAE compaction at 20 °C (back pressure = 262 MPa) produced billet with 95.6% relative density, but minimal green strength. At an extrusion temperature of 400 °C, the relative density increased to 98.3%, for similar processing conditions, and the green strength increased to a maximum 750 MPa. The relative density of compacts produced at 400 °C increased from 96.8 to 98.6% with increase in applied back pressure from 20 to 480 MPa, while Vickers hardness increased from 360 to 412 HV. The key to the effective low-temperature compaction achieved is the severe shear deformation experienced during ECAE, combined with the superimposed hydrostatic pressure.