Surface Fractal Analysis for Estimating the Fracture Energy Absorption of Nanoparticle Reinforced Composites

Materials

Brahmananda Pramanik¹  Tezeswi Tadepalli² 

[1] Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA;

关键词: nanocomposites;    low velocity punch-shear;    fractured surface;    digital microscopy;    fractal dimension;    fracture energy;    fracture toughness;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ma5050922

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In this study, the fractal dimensions of failure surfaces of vinyl ester based nanocomposites are estimated using two classical methods, Vertical Section Method (VSM) and Slit Island Method (SIM), based on the processing of 3D digital microscopic images. Self-affine fractal geometry has been observed in the experimentally obtained failure surfaces of graphite platelet reinforced nanocomposites subjected to quasi-static uniaxial tensile and low velocity punch-shear loading. Fracture energy and fracture toughness are estimated analytically from the surface fractal dimensionality. Sensitivity studies show an exponential dependency of fracture energy and fracture toughness on the fractal dimensionality. Contribution of fracture energy to the total energy absorption of these nanoparticle reinforced composites is demonstrated. For the graphite platelet reinforced nanocomposites investigated, surface fractal analysis has depicted the probable ductile or brittle fracture propagation mechanism, depending upon the rate of loading.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.