空心微球/环氧树脂复合泡沫塑料的抗压性能与破坏机制

以环氧树脂为基体, 不同粒径空心玻璃微球为填充体, 制备了轻质高强复合泡沫塑料。通过单轴准静态压缩试验研究了空心微球的粒径大小对复合泡沫塑料的抗压性能的影响, 并采用SEM对复合泡沫塑料的微观结构进行观测。通过随机空间分布法建立了空心玻璃微球/环氧树脂复合泡沫塑料的实体模型, 并且使用有限元分析软件对复合泡沫塑料在1 kPa载荷下的应力分布进行了分析。结果表明, 在相同体积含量下, 当空心微球的粒径从30 μm增大到120 μm时, 复合泡沫塑料的抗压强度无明显变化。有限元分析的结果表明, 在复合泡沫塑料中主要承载部分为空心微球, 空心微球上的应力大于树脂基体上的应力。最大应力分布在空心微球的内壁, 结合SEM图像可推测, 空心微球在破裂之前受到充分的挤压, 并且从内壁产生裂纹。     

Syntactic foams from copolymers based on epoxidized soybean oil

Syntactic foams are been increasingly used as core of sandwich panels due to their light weight and good mechanical properties. This investigation evaluates the compressive, flexural and thermo-mechanical properties of syntactic foams made by embedding randomly dispersed hollow glass microspheres in bio-based resins obtained by partial substitution of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with epoxidized soybean oil (ESO). Volume fraction of glass microballoons was 0.55 in all foam formulation. Flexural and compressive strength values decreased simultaneously with increasing ESO content. Similar trend was observed for the flexural and compressive modulus and glass transition temperature. The work further showed that mechanism of failure mainly depended on the fracture of microballoons regardless the ESO content in the formulation. Results reported herein suggest that large fractions of DGEBA can be replaced by ESO with minor effect on mechanical and thermal properties.     

Test Conditions Effect on the Fracture Toughness of Hollow Glass Micro-sphere Filled Composites

Abstract:  Low-density sheet-moulding compounds based on hollow glass micro-spheres are usually classified as syntactic foams if the filler content is relatively high. Syntactic foams are potentially suitable materials for applications where impact loads occur as they are able to reduce impact force. The addition of hollow micro-spheres tends to increase the specific values in terms of impact force and, marginally, in flexural modulus for high-volume fractions of micro-spheres. In this study, the effects of load rate and of immersion of the specimens in water up to 67 days were studied on the flexural mechanical properties and particularly on the fracture toughness, K _IC. Hollow micro-spheres (Verre ScotchitTM-K20) with epoxy and polyester polymer binder were used. Fracture toughness, K _IC, flexural stiffness modulus and ultimate strength were obtained as functions of load rate and immersion time. The increase of load rate tends to increase stiffness modulus, but effects on K _IC were found to be only marginal. Ultimate strength increases significantly with the increase of load rate for epoxy-based composites, but for the case of the polyester-based foams, only a negligible effect was observed. The increase of the immersion time in water tends to reduce stiffness modulus. K _IC decreases slightly after 15 days for the polyester-based composites and after 67 days for epoxy-based foams, and only negligible effects on ultimate strength were observed.     

Effects of particle clustering on the tensile properties and failure mechanisms of hollow spheres filled syntactic foams: A numerical investigation by microstructure based modeling

Particle clustering originated from manufacturing process is thought to be one of the critical factors to the mechanical performance of hollow spheres filled syntactic foams. Although experimental evidence provides a qualitative understanding of the effects of particle clustering on the mechanical properties of syntactic foams, a quantitative assessment cannot be made in the absence of an appropriate micromechanical modeling strategy. In this study, three-dimensional microstructures of syntactic foams with different degrees of particle clustering were reconstructed based on random sequential adsorption (RSA) method. Three-phase finite element models considering the progressive damage behavior of the microsphere–matrix interface were accordingly developed by means of representative volume element (RVE) to quantitatively investigate the effects of particle clustering on the tensile properties and failure mechanisms of syntactic foams. The simulation results indicate that the elastic behavior of syntactic foams is insensitive to the degree of particle clustering, but the strength properties as well as the failure mechanisms are significantly influenced by the degree of particle clustering. From the micromechanical viewpoint, the clustered regions containing higher concentration of microspheres than the average volume fraction would serve as crack initiation sites due to stress concentration, and consequently lead to a negative effect on tensile strength, fracture strain, and interfacial damage of syntactic foams.     

Experimental determination of the thermal conductivity of three-phase syntactic foams

Syntactic foams are attractive for applications that require materials with high impact strength and low thermal conductivities. Because syntactic foams are manufactured by dispersing hollow microspheres in a resinous matrix, their characteristics are functions of the type and relative amounts of these materials. In this work, a discussion of an experimental approach to measure the thermal conductivity of three-phase syntactic foams (hollow carbon microspheres in a porous APO-BMI binder, analysis of the data and the comparison to predictive models are presented. The thermal conductivity of three-phase syntactic foams is measured using a Holometrix^© steady-state heat flow meter. The experimental data are found to be accurate to within a reasonable range of experimental error and are compared to three of the more reliable predictive models that have been used successfully to estimate the thermal conductivity of similar foams. It is observed that the model predictions at lower temperatures are more accurate as compared to those at higher temperatures. Also, that a model based on the concept of self-consistent field theory better predicts the thermal conductivity of syntactic foams than one based on resistance-in-series. Sensitivity studies indicate a strong dependency of the thermal conductivity of the three-phase foams on the thermal conductivity of the carbon used in the microspheres.     

废胶粉/空心玻璃微珠改性环氧树脂的结构与性能

研究了微波辐射改性废胶粉(WRP)、偶联剂改性空心玻璃微珠(HGM)对环氧树脂复合材料的结构和性能的影响.采用差示扫描量热、热重分析等方法进行测试和表征,用扫描电镜观察了复合材料的断面形态.结果表明,少量合适粒径的改性WRP可以提高环氧树脂复合材料的冲击强度,适量的改性HGM可以提高复合材料的T<,g>和弯曲强度,并改...     

Quasi-static uni-axial compression behaviour of hollow glass microspheres/epoxy based syntactic foams

Hollow glass microspheres/epoxy foams of different densities were prepared by stir casting process in order to investigate their mechanical properties. The effect of hollow spheres content and wall thickness of the microspheres on the mechanical response of these foams is studied extensively through a series of quasi-static uni-axial compression tests performed at a constant strain rate of 0.001 s^?1. It is found that strength of these foams decreases linearly from 105 MPa (for the pure resin) to 25 MPa (for foam reinforced with 60 vol.% hollow microspheres) with increase in hollow spheres content. However, foams prepared using hollow spheres with a higher density possess higher strength than those prepared with a lower one. The energy absorption capacity increases till a critical volume fraction (40 vol.% of the hollow microspheres content) and then decreases. Failure and fracture of these materials occur through shear yielding of the matrix followed by axial splitting beyond a critical volume fraction.     

环氧树脂复合材料的制备及力学性能

通过配方设计,以硅烷偶联剂改性的空心玻璃微珠(HGB)为填料,端羧基液体丁腈橡胶(CTBN)为增稠剂和增韧剂,环氧树脂(EP)为基体,经变温分段固化技术制备环氧树脂/端羧基丁腈橡胶/空心玻璃微珠(EP/CTBN/HGB)三元泡沫复合材料并研究其力学和流变性能。结果表明,CTBN使得复合材料由脆性断裂变为韧性断裂;CTBN劣化了复合材料模量而HGB弥补了复合材料模量;当CTBN、HGB含量分别为12%(质量分数)和30%(体积分数)时,三元复合材料的冲击、弯曲、拉伸强度及弯曲模量均优于纯EP。另外,纯环氧树脂和EP/CTBN共混物的黏度呈现出牛顿流体的流变行为,而三元共混物的黏度表现出明显的剪切变稀现象。     

Processing and characterization of a lightweight concrete using cenospheres

A study has been conducted in which a lightweight concrete was processed using ceramic microspheres, known as cenospheres, as a primary aggregate. The mechanical properties, including compressive strength, tensile strength, flexural strength and fracture toughness, were tested and cataloged. It was determined that the addition of high volumes of cenospheres significantly lowered the density of concrete but was also responsible for some strength loss. This strength loss was recovered by improving the interfacial strength between the cenospheres and the cement. The interfacial properties were quantified using interfacial fracture mechanics techniques. These techniques were also employed to find a suitable surface modifier with which to improve this interface. The admixture silica fume and the coupling agent Silane were found to be suitable candidates and both performed well in small-scale compression testing. Silica fume was eventually isolated as a prime candidate. The concrete produced with this admixture was tested and compared to a concrete with an equal volume fraction of cenospheres. The addition of silica fume improved the compressive strength of cenosphere concrete by 80%, tensile strength by 35%, flexural strength by 60% and fracture toughness by 41%.     

Enhancement of Energy Absorption in Syntactic Foams by Nanoclay Incorporation for Sandwich Core Applications

Syntactic foams are closed pore foams fabricated by the mechanical mixing of hollow glass particles in a matrix resin. The present study deals with change in compressive properties of syntactic foams due to the incorporation of nano-sized clay (nanoclay) particles. A surface modified clay, Nanomer I.30E, has been used in the fabrication of specimens. Six different types of syntactic foams are fabricated and tested for compressive properties. Three types of hollow particles (microballoons) of glass having different densities are used for fabrication. Each type of microballoon is combined with 0.02 and 0.05 volume fraction of nanoclay, respectively. The combined volume fraction of microballoons and nanocparticles is 0.65 in all kinds of foams. Compressive properties of these samples are compared with those of syntactic foams without nanoclay particles. It is observed that partial intercalation of nanoclay has taken place in the specimens and remaining nanoclay particles are present in small clusters. Such microstructure leads to nearly the same strength with considerable enhancement in fracture strain. Hence, the toughness of the material, measured as the area under stress–strain curve, is found to increase by 80–200% for various kinds of foams tested in the study. Fracture features of syntactic foams with and without nanoclay are compared.     

Process and mechanical properties of carbon/carbon–silicon carbide composite reinforced with carbon nanotubes grown in situ

A hierarchical C_f/C–SiC composite was fabricated via in situ growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on fiber cloths following polymer impregnation and pyrolysis process. The effects of CNTs grown in situ on mechanical properties of the composite, such as flexural strength, fracture toughness, crack propagation behavior and interfacial bonding strength, were evaluated. Fiber push-out test showed that the interfacial bonding strength between fiber and matrix was enhanced by CNTs grown in situ. The propagation of cracks into and in fiber bundles was impeded, which results in decreased crack density and a “pull-out of fiber bundle” failure mode. The flexural strength was increased while the fracture toughness was not improved significantly due to the decreased crack density and few interfacial debonding between fiber and matrix, although the local toughness can be improved by the pull-out of CNTs.     

Microstructural failure modes in three-phase glass syntactic foams

Samples of syntactic foam containing hollow glass microspheres of 0.108 and 0.253 g/cm³ tap densities, some with a silane surface treatment, were subjected to different stress states and examined for failure modes. All foams contained the same volume fraction of APO-BMI, a bismaleimide resin binder. The samples were tested in compression and in three-point bend, and mechanical properties were compared between the various foams. Microsphere strength had a strong effect on overall uniaxial compressive strength with interface strength playing a secondary, yet significant role. In three-point bending, the role of the interface was much more critical. Cross sections of the compression test samples were examined by optical microscopy, and fracture surfaces were investigated by scanning electron microscopy.     

A study of the mechanical behaviour on fibre reinforced hollow microspheres hybrid composites

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the effects of hollow glass microsphere fillers and of the addition of short fibre reinforcements on the mechanical behaviour of epoxy binding matrix composites. Properties like flexural stiffness, compressive strength, fracture toughness and absorbed impact energy, were studied. The specimens were cut from plates produced by vacuum resin transfer moulding having a microsphere contents of up to 50% and with fibre reinforcement up to 1.2% by volume. The tests performed with unreinforced composites show that flexural and compressive stiffness, maximum compressive stresses, fracture toughness and impact absorbed energy decrease significantly with increasing filler content. However, in terms of specific values, both flexural and compressive stiffness and impact absorbed energy increase with microsphere content. The addition of glass fibre produces only a slight improvement in the flexure stiffness and fracture toughness, while increasing significantly the absorbed impact energy. In contrast, the addition of a small percentage of carbon fibres produces an important improvement in both fracture toughness and flexure stiffness, when hybrid composites with 0.9% carbon fibre are compared to unreinforced foam, but did not improved absorbed impact energy.     

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。      

复合泡沫塑料模量和屈服强度的理论预测

基于广义自洽原理，利用四相球模型研究了复合泡沫塑料在拉伸加载下的力学性能，并对其可能发生的破坏进行了分析，发现模型退化后给出的泡沫材料强度预测结果与实验值符合较好。通过分析微珠与基体界面的法向应力集中系数和基体相的von Mises应力分布，可以发现，当微珠壁极薄时，微珠的力学行为与实心柔性粒子相似，随着微珠壁厚的增加，微珠对材料整体力学行为的影响与实心刚性粒子的影响接近相同。通过引入破坏影响因子，对复合泡沫塑料的强度预测进行研究，提出了一种有效的预测方法。     

TiC含量对WC-TiC-TaC硬质合金材料微观组织及力学性能的影响

本研究采用真空热压烧结技术, 在1600℃下制备了WC-TiC-TaC硬质合金材料, 研究了TiC含量对其微观组织及力学性能的影响。结果表明, 随着TiC含量的增多, 硬质合金材料的晶粒显著增大。当TiC的含量从10wt% 增加到25wt%时, 硬质合金材料的硬度逐渐增大, 最高可达19.81 GPa, 这是由于TiC的硬度高于基体WC的硬度; 与此同时, 硬质合金材料的抗弯强度和断裂韧度逐渐减小。当TiC的含量为10wt%时, 材料的抗弯强度有最大值, 其值为1147.24 MPa, 这是由于在材料内部形成了均匀、细小的晶粒组织; 在此含量下, 复合材料的增韧机理为细晶增韧、裂纹偏转、裂纹分支、裂纹桥接和韧窝增韧, 其断裂韧度有最大值, 为14.60 MPa·m^1/2。     

Effects of coating treatment on mechanical properties of carbon fibres and reinforced silicon carbide composites

Abstract

Three-dimensionally braided carbon fibre reinforced SiC matrix composites have been fabricated and the effects of coating treatment on the mechanical properties have been investigated. It has been found that pyrocarbon coating can improve the strength of the heat treated carbon fibres. When the coating thickness was 0.5 m, the composites had better mechanical properties: a flexural strength of 643 MPa and a fracture toughness of 17.9 MPa m12. The composites also exhibited a toughening fracture mode.     

硼酸铝晶须增强氰酸酯树脂的性能

采用硼酸铝(AlBw)晶须改性氰酸酯树脂制备出氰酸酯树脂/晶须复合材料,研究了表面处理和晶须用量对氰酸酯树脂体系的反应活性、复合材料力学性能以及耐湿热性的影响.结果表明,未经表面处理的AlBw晶须不能改善氰酸酯树脂体系的韧性,反而使树脂韧性下降,表面处理的晶须均可以改善树脂的力学性能,经硼酸酯偶联剂处理后的AlBw晶须使树脂体系冲击强度提高.采用硼酸酯偶联剂对AlBw晶须进行表面处理可明显改善晶须在树脂体系中的分散性.在晶须用量低于8%时,随着晶须加入量的增加,树脂体系的力学性能增大,氰酸酯树脂/晶须复合材料表现为韧性断裂并有明显的晶须拔出现象.晶须的加入使树脂体系耐热性和耐湿热性提高,加入8%的AlBw晶须使体系吸水率下降,冲击强度和弯曲强度保持率提高.     

Mechanical characterization of hierarchical carbon fiber/nanofiber composite laminates

Susceptibility to matrix driven failure is one of the major weaknesses of continuous-fiber composites. In this study, helical-ribbon carbon nanofibers (CNF) were dispersed in the matrix phase of a continuous carbon fiber-reinforced composite. Along with an unreinforced control, the resulting hierarchical composites were tested to failure in several modes of quasi-static testing designed to assess matrix-dominated mechanical properties and fracture characteristics. Results indicated CNF addition offered simultaneous increases in tensile stiffness, strength and toughness while also enhancing both compressive and flexural strengths. Short-beam strength testing resulted in no apparent improvement while the fracture energy required for the onset of mode I interlaminar delamination was enhanced by 35%. Extrinsic toughening mechanisms, e.g., intralaminar fiber bridging and trans-ply cracking, significantly affected steady-state crack propagation values. Scanning electron microscopy of delaminated fracture surfaces revealed improved primary fiber–matrix adhesion and indications of CNF-induced matrix toughening.     

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.