This talk starts with a review of the different strategies to incorporate nanocarbons (CNTs, graphene) inpolymer matrices and their relative merit in terms of mechanical reinforcement, improvement inelectrical/thermal conductivity and emergence of other functional properties, such as sensingcapabilities [1] [2]. Three types of nanocomposites are discussed: the first type corresponds...

Typically many grains are averaged to determine strains using X-ray diffraction. In a composite material, however, as the microstructure approaches the fiber diameter, approximations based on a few grains may be misleading. Polychromatic microbeam X-ray diffraction on beamline 7.3.3 at the Advanced Light Source was used to observe relative strain and orientation within hundreds of grains of a m...

Epoxy and dicyclopentadien (DCPD) are two common healing agents, which are introduced into epoxy matrix through encapsulation in order to prepare self-healing composites. In a comparative study, the compatibility of healing agents and epoxy matrix is investigated through experimental tests and DFT calculations. The interaction energy is considered to be the determinative parameter in DFT calcul...

Measurement of the strength of brittle materials, such as resin composites, is extremely difficult. Micro-indentation hardness testing is a convenient way of investigating the mechanical properties of a small volume of material. In this study, the mechanical properties of five commercially available flowable resin composites were investigated by the dynamic micro-indentation method. Additionall...

Silver nanoparticle (Ag NP)/chitosan (Ch) composites with antiviral activity against H1N1 influenza A virus were prepared. The Ag NP/Ch composites were obtained as yellow or brown floc-like powders following reaction at room temperature in aqueous medium. Ag NPs (3.5, 6.5, and 12.9 nm average diameters) were embedded into the chitosan matrix without aggregation or size alternation. The antivira...

Potential of widespread industrial applications of magnesium has been realized in recent years. A variety of magnesium alloy matrix composites are now being studied for mechanical properties. Since magnesium is the lightest structural metal, it can replace aluminum in existing applications for further weight savings. This review presents an overview of hollow particle filled magnesium matrix sy...

Composite materials containing particulate BaTiO3 inclusion have been fabricated with BaZrO3-ZnO as the matrix. Giant anelastic responses (abrupt increase in modulus and damping vs. temperature) have been observed after 75 ◦C aging 24 h in these composites in the temperature region far below the Curie point of BaTiO3. Anomalies disappeared after 185 ◦C aging 4 h. Such responses are attributed t...

Barium titanate ceramic powders have been incorporated in polyamide 11 to form homogeneous dispersion of particles in the matrix. Barium titanate/polyamide 11 nanocomposites have been synthesized using a solvent casting method with ultrasonic stirring to homogeneously disperse inclusions in the matrix. Composites with volume fraction of barium titanate / ranging from 0.01 to 0.4 were elaborated...

Carbon nanotube-copper (CNT/Cu) composites have been successfully synthesized by means of a novel particles-compositing process followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The thermal conductivity of the composites was measured by a laser flash technique and theoretical analyzed using an effective medium approach. The experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity unusually d...

In the last decade, titanium metal matrix composites (TMCs) have received considerable attention thanks to their interesting properties as a consequence of the clear interface between the matrix and the reinforcing phases formed. In this work, TMCs with 30 vol % of B₄C are consolidated by hot pressing. This technique is a powder metallurgy rapid process. Incorporation of the intermetallic to th...