Approaches to Model Nanotube-Reinforced Polymers using Micromechanics and Finite Elements

Chapter 4: Viscoelastic Behavior of Carbon Nanotube-reinforced Polymers

CHAPTER 3: NANOTUBE WAVINESS AND THE EFFECTIVE MODULUS OF NANOTUBE-REINFORCED POLYMERS Introduction

Fiber waviness in nanotube-reinforced polymer composites—I: Modulus predictions using effective nanotube properties

Results in the literature demonstrate that substantial improvements in the mechanical behavior of polymers have been attained through the addition of small amounts of carbon nanotubes as a reinforcing phase. This suggests the possibility of new, extremely lightweight carbon nanotube-reinforced polymers with mechanical properties comparable to those of traditional carbon-fiber composites. Motiva...

Studying the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites Reinforced with Montmorillonite Nanoparticles Using Micromechanics Method

In this study, the mechanical and thermal behavior of the nano-reinforced polymer composite reinforced by Montmorillonite (MMT) nanoparticles is investigated. Due to low cost of computations, the 3D representative volume elements (RVE) method is utilized using ABAQUS finite element commercial software. Low density poly ethylene (LDPE) and MMT are used as matrix and nanoparticle material, respec...

A Simple Procedure to Develop Efficient & Stable Hybrid/Mixed Elements, and Voronoi Cell Finite Elements for Macro- & Micromechanics

A simple procedure to formulate efficient and stable hybrid/mixed finite elements is developed, for applications in macroas well as micromechanics. In this method, the strain and displacement field are independently assumed. Instead of using two-field variational principles to enforce both equilibrium and compatibility conditions in a variational sense, the independently assumed element strains...