Short‐beam three‐point bend tests in syntactic foams. Part II: Effect of microballoons content on shear strength

Epoxy binders containing microballoons ranging from 38.5 to 57.7% by volume were cast in a mold and cured, and the resulting slabs were sectioned to yield short‐beam test coupons. The strength changes with microballoons content were noted. These reveal an increase from 3.87 to 5.79 MPa for a decrease in microballoons content from 57.7 to 38.5%. Mechanical data were correlated with fractographic features employing scanning electron microscope. The failure features involving the microballoons and interface regions are highlighted in this article. The works show the existence of a dependence of strength parameters on the inter‐microballoon distances. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 680–686, 2005     

Short beam three point bend tests in syntactic foams. Part I: Microscopic characterization of the failure zones

Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) studies were carried out on the failure surface of syntactic foam material tested in a short beam three point bend test (SBT) by employing 21 × 15 × 3 mm³ dimension bearing specimens. The syntactic foams were fabricated using glass microballoons in epoxy binder. The failure of the tensile, compression, and shear dominated regions were studied by SEM at different magnifications. The tensile region had characteristic features, such as partial debonding of the microballoons from the matrix and cracking of glass microballoons, apart from matrix cracking and some river pattern features. The compression side was characterized by crushing and collapsing of microballoons, resulting in accumulation of debris with no apparent river pattern for matrix‐rich regions. The midway positions of the SBT failed surface comprised of deformation bands in the matrix and occasional debonding of microballoons. The morphology recorded in the tensile and compression regions corroborated well with the results obtained on these foam samples in those specimens that were subjected to pure uniaxial tension and compression, respectively. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 673–679, 2005     

Short‐beam and three‐point‐bending tests for the study of shear and flexural properties in unidirectional‐fiber‐reinforced epoxy composites

The bending properties of composite materials are often characterized with simply supported beams under concentrated loads. The results from such tests are commonly based on homogeneous beam equations. For laminated materials, however, these formulas must be modified to account for the stacking sequence of the individual plies. The horizontal shear test with a short‐beam specimen in three‐point bending appears suitable as a general method of evaluation for the shear properties in fiber‐reinforced composites because of its simplicity. In the experimental part of this work, the shear strength of unidirectional‐glass‐fiber‐reinforced epoxy resin composites was determined in different fiber directions with the short‐beam three‐point‐bending test. Also, the elastic constants and flexural properties of the same materials were determined from bending experiments carried out on specimens in the 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90° fiber directions with high span–thickness ratios. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 63–74, 2004     

Tensile strength and its variation of PAN‐based carbon fibers. III. Weak‐link analysis

Both the strength and its variance of carbon fibers depend on the worst flaw that exists in the fiber, or more exactly speaking, on the structure of the “fiber weak link” (FWL). To better understand the strength–structure relationship, the fracture‐ends morphologies were examined by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The weak links of carbon fibers were divided into three groups according to its tensile strength, and the effect of the carbon FWLs on the strength variance was also discussed. The observation by SEM, the analysis on fiber tensile properties, and the corresponding discussion of the two sorts of results indicate that both surface flaw and the incompact structure decrease the strength of carbon fiber and enlarge the strength variance of carbon fiber. The modulus seems to influence the strength of carbon fibers too. It is also confirmed that not only the size of the fracture mirror but also the ratio of the size of the mirror to the fracture surface area (not cross section area) is important for judging the strength of brittle fibers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Mixed-mode fracture behaviour of refractories with asymmetric wedge splitting test. Part II: Experimental case study

The asymmetric wedge splitting test for performing mixed-mode loading and its numerical evaluation has been presented in a companion paper (Part I). In this work (Part II), the influences of various levels of mode II loading on damage behaviour of refractories with different brittleness were experimentally investigated by comparing mode I and mixed-mode fractures under symmetric and asymmetric wedge splitting loading with seven different wedge angles. The digital image correlation technique was also used for strain maps visualization as well as the deformation parameters acquisition.With the increase of asymmetric wedge angle, the fracture behaviour becomes unstable what is associated with steeper load-displacement curves, more instantaneous energy release and restrained fracture process zone development. The in-plane shear loading contributes to the accelerated extension of the crack tip and its deviation from central plane. Meanwhile, the co-existing local shear stresses caused by the refractory's heterogeneity lead to crack path deflection as well.     

Effects of material and treatment parameters on noise‐control performance of compressed three‐layered multifiber needle‐punched nonwovens

The effects of material and treatment parameters on airflow resistivity and normal‐incidence sound absorption coefficient (NAC) of compressed three‐layer nonwoven composites have been studied. Material parameters included fiber size and porosity, and treatment factors included applied pressure and duration of compression. Fibers used included poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polypropylene (PP), glassfiber, and hemp. Three‐layered nonwoven composites were classified based on material content and fiber blend. LHL and PGP were sandwiched structures consisting of PLA/Hemp/PLA and PP/glassfiber/PP layers, respectively. PGI consisted of three layers of an intimate blend of PP and glassfiber. Statistical models were developed to predict air flow resistivity from material parameters and the change in air flow resistivity from compression parameters. Independent variables in the first model were porosity and fiber size and, in the latter model, were compressibility, pressure, and initial material parameters. An increase in air flow resistivity was found with increased compression. No significant effect of compression duration was detected. Two additional statistical models were developed for the prediction of sound absorption coefficient based on material and treatment parameters. The independent variables of the first model were air flow resistivity, thickness, and frequency, and those of the second model were compressibility, initial thickness, and initial density of the composite, diameter and density of the fiber, compression pressure, and frequency. A decrease in sound absorption coefficient was detected with increasing compression, while no effect of duration was detected. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Effect of surface modification on the interface quality between hemp and linear medium‐density polyethylene

In this work, hemp fibers (mercerized or not) were modified by a coupling agent (maleated polyethylene) to evaluate the level of interfacial improvement related to wettability or adhesion in LMDPE composites. To do so, different analyses in the solid (thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, and scanning electron microscopy) and melt (rheology) states were combined. From the results obtained, it can be shown that mercerization mostly controls the level of wettability (physical contact) of the fibers, while the addition of a coupling agent mostly controls interfacial adhesion (chemical interactions). These conclusions were obtained based on shifts in transition temperatures (T_g and T_α), as well as maxima in van Gurp–Palmen plots. Overall, the best properties were obtained when mercerization was combined with coupling agent addition under optimized processing conditions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43802.     

Correlation among crystalline morphology of PEEK,interface bond strength,and in‐plane mechanical properties of carbon/PEEK composites

The effect of the cooling rate on in‐plane and interlaminar properties of carbon fiber/semicrystalline PEEK matrix composites was studied. Strengths and moduli were measured in tension, flexure, and interlaminar shear, all of which were shown to correlate, to different degrees, with the fiber–matrix interface adhesion and the bulk matrix properties. The in‐plane and interlaminar properties, in general, increased with a decreasing cooling rate, which was attributed to changes in the failure mechanism from adhesive failure involving fiber–matrix interface debonding at high cooling rates to matrix‐dominant cohesive failure at low cooling rates. The present study demonstrates that the mechanical properties of semicrystalline thermoplastic composites can be tailored for desired applications by controlling the processing conditions, especially the cooling rate. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 84: 1155–1167, 2002; DOI 10.1002/app.10406     

Effects of TMPTMA and silane on the compressive strength of low‐temperature cured acrylic polymer concrete

This study addresses the effects of additives on the compressive strength of low‐temperature cured acrylic polymer concrete (PC). Three curing temperatures (0°C, ?10°C, and ?20°C) and five ages (6, 12, 24, 72, and 168 h) with two different types of additives [trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) and silane] were investigated. As a result, the compressive strength tended to decrease as the curing temperature decreased. The compressive strengths at 24 h were approximately 90% of those at 168 h at both curing temperatures of 0°C and ?20°C, indicating that the rate of early age strength development was quite high even at a very low curing temperature range. The results of two‐way variance analysis revealed that silane had a greater impact on the compressive strength than TMPTMA. About 13%–23% strength improvements with a 168‐h compressive strength of over 80 MPa could be obtained at ?20°C by adding silane. Furthermore, this study proposed optimum mixture proportions of acrylic PC that generate a working life of 50–70 minutes with a compressive strength of 80 MPa at subzero temperatures. The findings of this study are expected to be effectively used in field applications of acrylic PC, especially in the cold regions during winter season. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40939.     

Electron‐beam processing of nylon 6 and HNBR blends. Part II: development of high strength,heat‐ and oil‐resistant thermoplastic elastomers

The effects of electron‐beam irradiation on morphology, mechanical properties and on the heat and hot oil resistance of the thermoplastic elastomeric blend of 30:70 and 70:30, nylon 6 and hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) were investigated over the dose range 0–8 Mrad. The insoluble content of blends increased with increase in the radiation dose. The morphology of the blend was studied in scanning electron microscopy, with special reference to the effect of radiation prior to processing via injection molding. Irradiated pellets showed better mechanical properties after injection molding compared with irradiated sheets at low radiation dose. The observed differences in mechanical properties are explained on the basis of morphology of the blend. The blend properties were also found to have a strong dependence on nylon content. It was found that the blends rich in nylon had superior mechanical properties, hot oil and solvent resistance, whereas blends with higher HNBR content had better set and heat resistance. The effect of radiation on interaction in these blends was also evaluated and was found to induce possible inter‐chain crosslinking in the blends. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Shear bond strength to enamel and failure type of different periodontal splints: an in vivo and in vitro study

The goal of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) and failure mode of four different splint materials [Polyethylene FRC Ribbond Thm (RB), Polyethylene FRC Construct (Kerr), Multifilament Fishing Line (MFL), and Non Fiber Reinforced Composite (control)]. Thirty-seven subjects were randomly divided into four splint methods. After splinting procedures, the subjects were recalled 12 months later. One hundred and sixty human mandibular incisors (for extracoronal and intracoronal splinting) and 40 sheep mandibles (only extracoronal splinting) were used for the in vitro part. The specimens were subjected to SBS at their incisoproximal contact, and debonding forces were measured with a universal testing machine (1 mm/min crosshead speed). Failure sites were examined under a stereomicroscope (×40 magnification). The SBS data were assessed via analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s tests. The survival rate was significantly affected by the splint type (RB:95.3%, Kerr:91.6%, MFL:93.5%, Control:52.5%). No statistically significant differences were found between RB, Kerr, and MFL (p > 0.05) at all in vitro parts. Intracoronal splinting showed lower SBS values than extracoronal (p < 0.05). Lower SBS values were obtained in sheep teeth than human teeth (p < 0.05). Significantly different fracture patterns were noted between groups (p < 0.05). Only resin composite application seems to be inadequate for periodontal splinting. MFL splints are also economic and quite resistant, and they might be used as an alternative to fiber-reinforced composites.     

Effects of quasi‐3D stacking architecture on interlaminar shear strength and void content of FRP

To improve the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of composite laminate, three different quasi‐3D stacking architecture (q‐3DSA) laminates were fabricated by using automated fiber placement process and a traditional 2D stacking architecture (2DSA) laminate was fabricated as the control sample. The distribution of voids, the density, and the ILSS of four types of laminates were tested. The results indicated that the void content of the different q‐3DSA laminates was approximately 0.71%–3.07% greater than that of the 2DSA laminate, but the ILSS of q‐3DSA laminates was 5.49%–12.54% better than that of the 2DSA laminate. The microstructure images showed that the cracks spread along the interface between the adjacent layers in the 2DSA laminate, while the cracks cross two or more layers in the q‐3DSA laminates. This behavior indicated that the q‐3DSA improved the ILSS by dispersing the interlaminar load through the bended and interlaced tows in the laminate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41076.     

Effects of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane coatings on the interface and impact properties of carbon‐fiber/polyarylacetylene composites

Two kinds of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) coatings were used for the modification of the interface in carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polyarylacetylene (PAA) matrix composites. The effects of the organic–inorganic hybrid POSS coatings on the properties of the composites were studied with short‐beam‐bending, microdebonding, and impact tests. The interlaminar shear strength and interfacial shear strength showed that the POSS coatings resulted in an interfacial property improvement for the CF/PAA composites in comparison with the untreated ones. The impact‐test results implied that the impact properties of the POSS‐coating‐treated composites were improved. The stiffness of the interface created by the POSS coatings was larger than that of the fiber and matrix in the CF/PAA composites according to the force‐modulation‐mode atomic force microscopy test results. The rigid POSS interlayer in the composites enhanced the interfacial mechanical properties with a simultaneous improvement of the impact properties; this was an interesting phenomenon in the composite‐interface modification. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102:5202–5211, 2006     

Surface modification of ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene. II. Effect on the physicomechanical and tribological properties of ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene/poly(ethylene terephthalate) composites

We performed surface modification of ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) through chromic acid etching, with the aim of improving the performance of its composites with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers. In this article, we report on the morphology and physicomechanical and tribological properties of modified UHMWPE/PET composites. Composites containing chemically modified UHMWPE had higher impact properties than those based on unmodified UHMWPE because of improved interfacial bonding between the polymer matrix and the fibers and better dispersion of the fibers within the modified UHMWPE matrix. Chemical modification of UHMWPE before the introduction of PET fibers resulted in composites exhibiting improved wear resistance compared to the base material and compared to unmodified UHMWPE/PET composites. On the basis of the morphological studies of worn samples, microploughing and fatigue failure associated with microcracking were identified as the principle wear mechanisms. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006     

Study on superabsorbent composite. VIII. Effects of acid‐ and heat‐activated attapulgite on water absorbency of polyacrylamide/attapulgite

A novel superabsorbent composite, polyacrylamide/attapulgite, from acrylamide (AM) and attapulgite (APT), was prepared by free‐radical polymerization, using N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator. The effects of hydrochloric acid (HCl) concentration, acidification time, and acidification temperature while acidifying APT and temperature and APT heat‐activation on water absorbency of the superabsorbent composite in distilled water and in 0.9 wt % NaCl solution were studied. The water absorbency first decreases with increasing the HCl concentration while acidifying APT, and then increases with further increasing the HCl concentration. Prolongation of acidification time is of benefit to the increase of water absorbency. At a given HCl concentration, water absorbency for the composite increases with increasing acidification temperature. An important increase in water absorbency was observed after incorporating heat‐activated APT into the polymeric network, reaching a maximum of 1964 g g^?1 with the APT heat‐activated at 400°C. Acid‐ and heat‐activation can influence chemical composition, crystalline structure, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and specific surface area of APT according XRF, XRD, FTIR analysis, and physicochemical properties test, and then on water absorbency of corresponding PAM/APT superabsorbent composite. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2419–2424, 2007     

Controlling micro‐ and nanofibrillar morphology of polymer blends in low‐speed melt spinning process. Part III: Fibrillation mechanism of PLA/PVA blends along the spinline

The effects of spinning conditions on the fibrillation process of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer blends in an elongational flow within the fiber formation zone are systematically and thoroughly investigated. By considering the relationship between the changes in filament parameters with the focus on the maximum axial strain rate (ASR) and tensile stress at maximum ASR and the morphological evolution of the dispersed PLA phase along the spinline, the fibrillation process from rod‐like to nanofibrillar structures of the dispersed PLA phase in a binary blend with PVA matrix is elucidated. The final morphology of the dispersed PLA phase in PLA/PVA blends is controlled by the changes in the spinning conditions. The lengths and diameters of the PLA fibrils are caused not only by the deformation of their initial sizes but also by the combination of the deformation, coalescence, and break‐up process. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44259.     

Effects of surface modification,carbon nanofiber concentration,and dispersion time on the mechanical properties of carbon‐nanofiber–polycarbonate composites

The time effect of ultrasonication was investigated for dispersing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) into a polycarbonate (PC) matrix on the mechanical properties of thus‐produced composites. The effects of CNF surface modification by plasma treatment and the CNF concentration in composites on their mechanical properties were also explored. The plasma coating was characterized by HRTEM and FT‐IR. Furthermore, the plasma polymerization (10 w) treatment on the CNF enhanced the CNF dispersion in the polymer matrix. The mechanical properties of the CNF–PC composites varied with the dispersion time, at first increasing to a maximum value and then dropping down. After a long ultrasonic treatment (24 h), the properties increased again. At a high concentration, the CNF‐PC suspension became difficult to disperse. Additionally, the possible mechanisms for these behaviors are simply proposed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 3792–3797, 2007     

Effect of silica on viscosity,tack, and shear strength of epoxidized natural rubber‐based pressure‐sensitive adhesives in the presence of coumarone‐indene resin

The viscosity, loop tack, and shear strength of silica‐filled epoxidized natural rubber (ENR 25 and ENR 50 grade) adhesive were investigated using coumarone‐indene as the tackifying resin. Silica loading was varied from 10–50 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr), whereas the coumarone‐indene concentration was fixed at 40 phr. Toluene was used as the solvent throughout the study. Polyethylene terephthalate substrate was coated at various adhesive coating thicknesses, i.e., 30, 60, 90, and 120 μm using a SHEEN Hand Coater. Viscosity of the adhesive was determined by a HAAKE Rotary Viscometer whereas loop tack and shear strength were measured by a Llyod Adhesion Tester operating at 30 cm/min. Result shows that viscosity of the adhesive increases gradually with increase of silica loading due to the concentration effect of the filler. Both loop tack and shear strength show maximum value at 40 phr silica for ENR 25. However, the respective values for ENR 50 are 20 and 40 phr of filler. This observation is attributed to the maximum wettability and compatibility of adhesive on the substrate at the respective silica loadings. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

The Influence of Inter‐Fibre Fracture in Layered Laminates on Stiffness Degradation: A Numerical Investigation

A detailed finite‐element analysis of possible influences on the stiffness reduction of layered laminates due to tolerable IFF has been carried out and the IFF accumulation has been calculated. It is shown that both the transverse Young modulus and the in‐plane shear modulus are degraded independently with increasing IFF density. The calculations show that the thickness of the layer affected by IFF has only a minor influence on the resulting degradation. In addition, it has been shown that the IFF accumulation can be calculated by applying the Puck criterion on the numerically calculated stresses.