Simplified silica (Zeosil 1165 MP) – SBR (140k carrying silanol end-groups) nanocomposites have been formulated by mixing of a reduced number of ingredients with respect to industrial applications. The thermo-mechanical history of the samples during the mixing process was monitored and adjusted to identical final temperatures. The filler structure on large scales up to microns was studied by tr...

A network of entangled multiwall carbon nanotubes is an assembly of non-bonded and randomly oriented units whose mechanical behavior is affected by their buckling, compression and slippage at contact points. Slippage and irreversible nanotube rearrangements are evidenced by the hysteresis in the stress-strain curves during loading and unloading cycles. To model the mechanical behavior, a nonlin...

Abstract In this study, polymer/glass fiber fabric‐based nanocomposite plates were fabricated with 0.01%–0.1% single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and filler materials (barite, magnetite, colemanite) using a hand layup process. Mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength, flexural Charpy impact strength), thermal conductivity, radiation shielding gamma neutron radiation) of the specimens d...

The paper reports on the processing of chitosan N-doped reduced graphene oxide (CS/N-rGO) nanocomposite membranes prepared by a facile, dispersion-casting procedure aimed as anion exchange in fuel cells. Genipin (GEN) was used crosslinking agent to ameliorate mechanical weakens membranes, while N-rGO filler, aside its role enhancer, is expected improve ionic conductivity membranes. resulting pr...

Significant aggregation takes place when nanoparticles are blended into a random amorphous polymeric medium, contrary to in situ generation which results in uniform size distributions. In the present paper, we propose a theoretical model to study the size and distribution of aggregates that take place when the particles are blended into a random amorphous mobile elastomeric medium. We test the ...

A theoretical network model reproducing some significant features of the viscoelastic behavior of unentangled polymer melts reinforced with well dispersed non-agglomerated nanoparticles is presented. Nanocomposites with low filler volume fraction (w10%) and strong polymer–filler interactions are considered. The model is calibrated based on results obtained from discrete simulations of the equil...

Composite materials are multi-phased combinations of two or several components, which acquire new characteristic properties that the individual constituents, by themselves, cannot obtain. A composite material typically consists of a certain matrix containing one or more fillers which can be made up of particles, sheets or fibers. When at least one of these phases has dimensions less than 100 nm...