Electrical properties of hollow glass particle filled vinyl ester matrix syntactic foams

Low dielectric constant materials play a key role in modern electronics. In this regard, hollow particle reinforced polymer matrix composites called syntactic foams may be useful due to their low and tailored dielectric constant. In the current study, vinyl ester matrix/glass hollow particle syntactic foams are analyzed to understand the effect of hollow particle wall thickness and volume fraction on the dielectric constant of syntactic foams. The dielectric constant is found to decrease with increase in the hollow particle volume fraction and decrease in the wall thickness. Theoretical estimates are obtained for the dielectric constant of syntactic foams. Parametric studies are conducted using the theoretical model. It is found that a wide range of syntactic foam compositions can be tailored to have the same dielectric constant, which provides possibility of independently tailoring density and other properties based on the requirement of the application.     

Viscoelastic properties of hollow glass particle filled vinyl ester matrix syntactic foams: effect of temperature and loading frequency

Viscoelastic properties of hollow particle-reinforced composites called syntactic foams are studied using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. Glass hollow particles of three different wall thicknesses are incorporated in the volume fraction range of 0.3–0.6 in vinyl ester resin matrix to fabricate twelve compositions of syntactic foams. Storage modulus, loss modulus, and glass transition temperature are measured and related to the microstructural parameters of syntactic foams. In the first step, a temperature sweep from ?75 to 195 °C is applied at a fixed loading frequency of 1 Hz to obtain temperature dependent properties of syntactic foams. In the next step, selected four compositions of syntactic foams are studied for combined effect of temperature and loading frequency. A frequency sweep is applied in the range 1–100 Hz and the temperature is varied in the range 30–140 °C. Time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle is used to generate master curves for storage modulus over a wide frequency range. The room temperature loss modulus and maximum damping parameter, Tanδ, are found to have a linear relationship with the syntactic foam density. Increasing volume fraction of particles helps in improving the retention of storage modulus at high temperature in syntactic foams. Cole–Cole plot and William–Landel–Ferry equation are used to interpret the trends obtained from TTS. The correlations developed between the viscoelastic properties and material parameters help in tailoring the properties of syntactic foams as per requirements of an application.     

空心玻璃微球含量对环氧复合泡沫塑料性能的影响

以空心玻璃微球（HGM）填充环氧树脂制备了密度为0.56~0.91 g/cm3的HGM/环氧复合泡沫塑料。研究了HGM含量对复合泡沫塑料黏度、力学性能、动态力学性能及隔热性能的影响。结果表明:表面偶联处理后增加了HGM的表面亲油性,改善了其与基体树脂间的相容性和界面性能,有利于HGM/环氧复合泡沫塑料性能的提高;体系黏度与HGM含量呈正相关,与温度呈负相关;随着HGM含量的增加,HGM/环氧复合泡沫塑料的压缩强度、弯曲强度和拉伸强度均有一定程度的降低,但是比强度变化不大,材料得到很大程度的轻质化;HGM的引入使得HGM/环氧复合泡沫塑料玻璃化转变温度向低温方向偏移,储能模量呈现先减小后增加的趋势,导热系数由纯环氧树脂的0.203 W/（m·K）减小到HGM含量为40wt%时的0.126 W/（m·K）。HGM/环氧复合泡沫塑料阻尼性能和隔热性能均有所提高。      

Effect of carbon nanofibers on tensile and compressive characteristics of hollow particle filled composites

The effect of presence of carbon nanofibers on the tensile and compressive properties of hollow particle filled composites is studied. Such composites, called syntactic foams, are known to have high specific modulus and low moisture absorption capabilities and are finding applications as core materials in aerospace and marine sandwich structures. The results of this study show that addition of 0.25 wt.% carbon nanofibers results in improvement in tensile modulus and strength compared to similar syntactic foam compositions that did not contain nanofibers. Compressive modulus decreased and strength remained largely unchanged for most compositions. Tensile and compressive failure features are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.     

Effects of density and strain rate on properties of syntactic foams

Syntactic foams are characterized for high strain rate compressive properties using Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) technique in this study. The results at high strain rates are compared to quasi-static strain rate compressive properties of the same material. Four different types of syntactic foams are fabricated with the same matrix resin system but different size microballoons for testing purpose. The microballoons have the same outer radius. However, their internal radius is different leading to a difference in their density and strength. The volume fraction of the microballoons in syntactic foams is maintained at 0.65. Such an approach is helpful in isolating and identifying the contribution of matrix and microballoons to the dynamic compressive properties of syntactic foams. Results demonstrate considerable increase in peak strength of syntactic foams for higher strain rates and increasing density. It is also observed that the elastic modulus increases with increasing strain rate and density. Scanning electron microscopy is carried out to understand the fracture modes of these materials and the density effect on high strain rate properties of syntactic foam.     

空心颗粒填充树脂复合泡沫材料热膨胀性能数值模拟

利用RSA (random sequential adsorption)方法生成了含不同体积分数和不同壁厚的空心玻璃微珠(HGMs)填充树脂(HGMs/树脂)复合材料代表体元模型,用有限元软件ANSYS计算了该材料的热膨胀性能,得到了材料热膨胀系数与HGMs体积分数和壁厚的变化关系以及温度变化产生的应力场和位移场分布情况.分别对HGMs/树脂热膨胀系数与HGMs体积分数和壁厚变化曲线进行线性拟合和指数函数拟合,分析了HGMs体积分数和壁厚对HGMs/树脂热膨胀系数的灵敏度.结果发现,HGMs体积分数与壁厚的增大都会降低HGMs/树脂的热膨胀系数;填充体积分数对材料热膨胀系数的灵敏度大于壁厚的灵敏度.     

空心颗粒填充树脂复合泡沫材料热膨胀性能数值模拟

利用RSA(random sequential adsorption)方法生成了含不同体积分数和不同壁厚的空心玻璃微珠(HGMs)填充树脂(HGMs/树脂)复合材料代表体元模型, 用有限元软件ANSYS计算了该材料的热膨胀性能, 得到了材料热膨胀系数与HGMs体积分数和壁厚的变化关系以及温度变化产生的应力场和位移场分布情况。分别对HGMs/树脂热膨胀系数与HGMs体积分数和壁厚变化曲线进行线性拟合和指数函数拟合, 分析了HGMs体积分数和壁厚对HGMs/树脂热膨胀系数的灵敏度。结果发现, HGMs体积分数与壁厚的增大都会降低HGMs/树脂的热膨胀系数; 填充体积分数对材料热膨胀系数的灵敏度大于壁厚的灵敏度。     

Novel syntactic foams made of ceramic hollow micro-spheres and starch: theory,structure and properties

Novel syntactic foams for potential building material applications were developed using starch as binder and ceramic hollow micro-spheres available as waste from coal-fire power stations. Foams of four different micro-sphere size groups were manufactured with either pre- or post-mould gelatinization process. They were of ternary system including voids with a foam density range of approximately 0.33–0.44 g/cc. Compressive failure behaviour and mechanical properties of the manufactured foams were evaluated. Not much difference in failure behaviour or in mechanical properties between the two different processes (pre- and post-mould gels) was found for a given binder content. Compressive failure of all syntactic foams was of shear on plane inclined 45° to compressive loading direction. Failure surfaces of most syntactic foams were characterized by debonded micro-spheres. Compressive strength and modulus of syntactic foams were found to be dependant mainly on binder content but mostly independent of micro-sphere size. Some conditions of relativity arising from properties of constituents leading to the rule of mixtures relationships for compressive strength and to understanding of compressive/transitional failure behaviour were developed. The developed relationships based on the rule of mixtures were partially verified. Some formation of starch webs on failure surfaces was discussed.     

考虑界面效应的复合泡沫塑料弹性性能数值仿真预测与试验研究

通过对不同空心陶瓷微珠含量的环氧基复合泡沫塑料进行准静态拉伸实验, 研究了填充微珠的体积分数对复合泡沫塑料弹性模量和泊松比的影响。基于其细观结构特征, 利用三维立方单胞有限元模型模拟了细观应力/应变场; 将内聚力单元引入细观有限元模型, 以此来模拟空心微珠与基体材料之间界面相的力学行为。将有限元预测结果以及两种传统的细观解析法与实验数据对比, 发现基于界面理想粘接假设的有限元模型和传统细观解析法均过高估计了复合泡沫塑料的弹性模量和泊松比; 复合泡沫塑料的弹性性能强烈地依赖于界面相的力学性质, 只有考虑界面效应的细观有限元模型才能给出较为精确的预测, 从而验证了文中细观建模方法的合理性。     

考虑界面效应的复合泡沫塑料弹性性能数值仿真预测与试验研究

通过对不同空心陶瓷微珠含量的环氧基复合泡沫塑料进行准静态拉伸实验,研究了填充微珠的体积分数对复合泡沫塑料弹性模量和泊松比的影响.基于其细观结构特征,利用三维立方单胞有限元模型模拟了细观应力/应变场;将内聚力单元引入细观有限元模型,以此来模拟空心微珠与基体材料之间界面相的力学行为.将有限元预测结果以及两种传统的细观解析法与实验数据对比,发现基于界面理想粘接假设的有限元模型和传统细观解析法均过高估计了复合泡沫塑料的弹性模量和泊松比;复合泡沫塑料的弹性性能强烈地依赖于界面相的力学性质,只有考虑界面效应的细观有限元模型才能给出较为精确的预测,从而验证了文中细观建模方法的合理性.     

空心微珠/金属基复合泡沫制备方法与吸能性能的研究进展

金属基复合泡沫是由空心微珠和金属基体复合而成的一种新型结构功能多孔复合材料。它具有许多优异的性能,如轻质、高比强度、高比刚度、高吸能能力、隔热、吸声隔音及电磁屏蔽等,高吸能能力是金属基复合泡沫的突出特点,在防撞、减振、缓冲及防爆抗振的汽车、航空航天、军事装备及船舶等领域具有广阔的应用前景。本文对金属基复合泡沫的基体材料、空心微珠填充材料、影响金属基复合泡沫压缩吸能性能的因素及压缩吸能机制进行了概述,重点报道了金属基复合泡沫常用的制备工艺及近年来铝基、镁基、锌基及钢基复合泡沫吸能性能的研究进展,分析了当前研究中存在的一些问题,并对金属基复合泡沫的应用现状作了阐述,最后展望了金属基复合泡沫的研究发展趋势。      

Effect of volume fraction and wall thickness on the elastic properties of hollow particle filled composites

Hollow particle filled composites, called syntactic foams, are widely used in applications requiring high damage tolerance and low density. The understanding of the mechanics of these materials is largely based on experimental studies. Predictive models that are capable of estimating the elastic properties of these materials over wide variation of particle wall thickness, size, and volume fraction are not yet fully developed. The present study is focused on developing a modeling scheme to estimate the elastic constants for such materials. The elastic properties of an infinitely dilute dispersion of microballoons in a matrix material are first computed by solving a dilatation and a shear problem. A differential scheme is then used to extrapolate the elastic properties of composites with high volume fractions of microballoons. The results show that the model is successful in predicting the Young’s modulus for syntactic foams containing microballoons of a wide range of wall thickness and volume fraction.     

Effect of particle surface treatment and blending method on flexural properties of injection-molded cenosphere/HDPE syntactic foams

The present work on cenosphere/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) syntactic foams aims at understanding the effect of surface treatment of cenospheres and functionalization of HDPE on flexural properties. Cenospheres are treated with silane, and HDPE is functionalized with 10 % dibutyl maleate. Effects of mechanical and Brabender mixing methods are also studied. Flexural test specimens are cast with 20, 40, and 60 wt% of cenospheres using injection molding. The flexural modulus and strength are found to increase with increasing cenosphere content. Particle breakage increases with the cenosphere content, and the measured properties show increased dependence on processing method. Brabender mixing resulted in 70 and 41 % higher modulus and strength for 60 wt% cenospheres than HDPE. Modulus of syntactic foams is predicted by two theoretical models. Bardella–Genna model provides close estimates for syntactic foams having 20 and 40 wt% cenospheres, while predictions are higher for higher cenosphere content, likely due to particle breakage during processing. The uncertainty in the properties of cenospheres due to defects contributes to the variation in the predicted values.     

A three-dimensional numerical investigation of fracture initiation by ductile failure mechanisms in a 4340 steel

Fracture initiation in ductile metal plates occurs due to substantial tunneling of the crack in the interior of the specimen followed by final failure of side ligaments by shear lip formation. The tunneled region is characterized by a flat, fibrous fracture surface. This phenomenon is clearly exhibited in a recent experimental investigation [8] performed on pre-notched plates of a ductile heat treatment of 4340 carbon steel. Experimental evidence obtained in [8] suggests that tunneling begins at an average value of J which is significantly lower than the J value at which gross initiation is observed on the free surface. In the present work, fracture initiation in the 4340 steel specimens used in [8] is analyzed by performing a 3-dimensional numerical simulation. A damage accumulation model that accounts for the ductile failure mechanisms of void nucleation, growth, and void coalescence is employed. Results indicate that incipient Cmaterial failure at the center-plane of the 3-dimensional specimen is predicted quite accurately by this computation. Also, good agreement between results obtained at the center-plane of the 3-dimensional specimen and a plane strain analysis, suggests that a local definition of J can be used to characterize fracture initiation in the center-plane of the specimen. Finally, radial and thickness variations of the stress and porosity fields are examined with view of understanding the subsequent propagation of the failure zone.     

A study of the mechanisms of particle buildup on single ferromagnetic wires and spheres

Particle buildup processes for paramagnetic, diamagnetic and ferromagnetic particles in HGMS are reviewed, and new data are presented. Previously published data are discussed using the local flow velocity in the vicinity of a collection wire instead of the average flow velocity.     

Innovative processing and mechanical properties of high temperature syntactic foams based on a thermoplastic/thermoset matrix

An innovative processing of syntactic foams based on high-glass transition temperature thermoplastic is reported. The aim is to propose an insulating material able to withstand both continuous effluent temperature up to 150°C and hydrostatic pressure up to 300 bar. Uniaxial compression and tension tests have been performed. Two factors seems to govern the mechanical properties: the wall thickness/radius ratio (e/r) and the volume fraction of microspheres. At room temperature, the study of the strain recovery at the yield stress shows that the plastic deformation is negligible compared to the elastic and anelastic part. The study of the yielding behavior at room temperature has shown a large influence of the type of microsphere compared to the influence of the volume fraction. The syntactic foams exhibit good performance at 150°C as expected from the matrix selection. Comparison with a few classical models have been done.     

Effect of heat treatment temperature on microstructure and electrochemical properties of hollow carbon spheres prepared in high-pressure argon

Heat treatment was carried out between 800 and 1200°C to investigate its effects on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of the hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) prepared in high-pressure argon. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms. The graphitization of the HCSs was improved with increase of heat treatment temperature. Mesopores of ca. 4 nm in diameter were created on the HCSs after the heat treatment. The results of electrochemical performance measurements for the HCSs as anode material for lithium ion batteries indicate that the discharge capacity of the HCSs is improved after heat treatment at 800°C compared with the as-prepared HCSs and have a maximum value of 357 mAh/g and still retains 303 mAh/g after 40 cycles. However, the discharge capacity of the HCSs decreases and the cycling performance is improved with the increase of heat treatment temperature.     

Experimental and numerical investigation on the shape approximation of rice particle by multi-sphere particle models

In this study experimental and numerical investigations on the mechanical and flow behavior of the multi-sphere (MS) rice particles with different degrees of shape approximation are conducted. This work aims to provide a better understanding of the adaptability of the degree of the shape approximation. The results indicated that rice particles can be approximated using the MS models with axi-symmetric ellipsoid shape. Furthermore, the angularity factor, AF, can be used to quantify the degree of shape approximation. As AF decreases, the degree of shape approximation increases. Finally, selection of the shape approximation scheme depends on the application of granular materials. Specifically, for the static and dynamic mechanical behavior of the single particle, the degree of shape approximation should not be strictly accurate, but should be appropriately rough. However, for the static and dynamic flow behavior of the particle assembly, the degree of shape approximation should be accurate.     

热机械循环对B/Al复合材料拉伸性能及显微结构的影响

热机械循环是复合材料所面临的苛刻空间环境因素.对B/Al复合材料进行温度变化范围为-125～125℃,外加拉伸载荷为30MPa的热机械循环试验,通过室温拉伸试验测量了B/Al复合材料的拉伸性能,利用SEM及TEM分析了复合材料的拉伸断口形貌及显微结构,研究了热机械循环对B/Al复合材料拉伸性能及显微结构的影响.研究表明,热机械循环造成了B纤维与Al基体之间界面的弱化,产生了可测的弹性模量的降低;同时,引起基体塑性应变,造成基体内位错密度增加.在热机械循环初期,B/Al复合材料的抗拉强度是增加的,但随即随热机械循环周次的增加而下降.