Prediction of Rice Husk Particulate-Filled Polymer Composite Properties Using a Representative Volume Element (RVE) Model

Author(s):  
Pandhita Pochanard ◽  
Anil Saigal

In this study, a numerical representative volume element (RVE) model was used to predict the mechanical properties of a Rice Husk Particulate (RHP)-Epoxy composite for use as an alternative material in non-critical applications. Seven different analytical models Counto, Ishai-Cohen, Halpin-Tsai, Nielsen, Nicolais, Modified Nicolais and Pukanszky were used as comparison tools for the numerical model. The mechanical properties estimated for 0%, 10% and 30% RHP-Epoxy composites using the numerical and analytical models are in general agreement with each other. Using the analytical models, it was calculated that an increase in volume percentage of RHP to 30% led to continual reduction in elastic Young’s modulus and ultimate tensile strength of the composite. The numerical RVE models also predicted a similar trend between filler volume percentage and material properties. Overall, the results of this study suggest that RHP can be used to reduce the composite raw material costs by replacing the more expensive polymer content with agricultural waste products with limited compromise to the composite’s mechanical properties.

Author(s):  
Seyed Hamid Reza Sanei ◽  
Randall Doles

Abstract The aim of this study is to present a representative volume element (RVE) for nanocomposites with different microstructural features using a stochastic finite element approach. To that end, computer-simulated microstructures of nanocomposites were generated to include a variety of uncertainty present in geometry, orientation, and distribution of carbon nanotubes. Microstructures were converted into finite element models based on an image-based approach for the determination of elastic properties. For each microstructure type, 50 realizations of synthetic microstructures were generated to capture the variability as well as the average values. Computer-simulated microstructures were generated at different length scales to determine the change in mechanical properties as a function of length scale. A representative volume element is defined at a length scale beyond which no change in variability is observed. The results show that there is no universal RVE applicable to all properties and microstructures; however, the RVE size is highly dependent on microstructural features. Microstructures with agglomeration tend to require larger RVE. Similarly, random microstructures require larger RVE when compared with aligned microstructures.


1970 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Abdulla Al Masud ◽  
A. K. M. Masud

In carbon nanotube (CNT) based composite, due to the small (micrometer) size of reinforcements a large amount of interphases is developed during the time of production. It is important to assess whether the interphase is responsible for the poor mechanical properties of CNT-reinforced composite. In this research, the effect of interphase property and characteristics on effective mechanical properties of CNT based composites is evaluated using a 3-D nanoscale representative volume element (RVE). The effect of both soft and stiff interphases on the Tensile Elastic Modulus (TEM) of nanocomposites is investigated using the Finite Element Method (FEM) for the case of both long and short CNTs. With the increase of thickness of stiff interphase, the stiffness of the composite increases significantly for both the short and long CNT cases. On the other hand the increase of thickness of soft interphase reduces the stiffness of the overall composite in a considerable amount.Key Words: Carbon nanotube; Interphase; Representative Volume Element; Finite Element method; TensileElastic Modulus.DOI: 10.3329/jme.v41i1.5358Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Vol. ME 41, No. 1, June 2010 15-24 


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shulei Sun ◽  
Xiongqi Peng ◽  
Zaoyang Guo

By using a representative volume element (RVE) approach, this paper investigates the effective mechanical properties of anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) in which particles are aligned and form chain-like structure under magnetic field during curing. Firstly, a three-dimensional RVE in zero magnetic field is presented in ABAQUS/Standard to calculate the macroscopic mechanical properties of MREs. It is shown that the initial shear modulus of MREs increases by 56% with a 20% volume fraction of particles compared to that of pure rubber. Then by introducing the Maxwell stress tensor, a two-dimensional plane stress RVE for the MRE is developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to study its response under a magnetic field. The influences of magnetic field intensity, radius of particles, and distance between two adjacent particles on the macroscopic mechanical properties of MRE are also investigated. The results show that the shear modulus increases with the increase of the applied magnetic field intensity and the radius of particles and the decrease of the distance between two adjacent particles in a chain. The predicted numerical results are consistent with theoretical results from Mori-Tanaka model, double inclusion model, and dipole model.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 755-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Zhu ◽  
Ping Zhu ◽  
Zhao Liu ◽  
Wei Tao

Interior fibers in yarns of plain woven carbon fiber-reinforced composite are distributed randomly, which further influences the mechanical properties of yarns. To explore the stochastic nature of fibers’ distribution in yarn and its effect on the properties of yarn, this study proposes a new perturbation algorithm named Sequential Random Perturbation algorithm to reconstruct the microstructure of randomly distributed fibers, based on which representative volume element micromechanical models consisting of three phases to accurately predict the mechanical properties of yarn are established. The algorithm is based on successive smart perturbations of fibers to gain microstructures of arbitrary volume fraction, and statistical study shows that the algorithm is in good agreement with experimental results. Finally, representative volume element models are simulated to predict the whole mechanical properties of composite yarns to reflect the failure mechanisms and microstructure–property relations. The randomness of fiber distribution has some degree of influence on mechanical properties of yarn, especially strength responses. The failures under axial tension and compression are dominated by fiber breakage, while under transverse and shear loading conditions, the failures are mostly decided by interface debonding and matrix damage.


2014 ◽  
Vol 577 ◽  
pp. 3-6
Author(s):  
Minh Tai Le ◽  
Shyh Chour Huang

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the ultimate reinforcing materials for the development of an entirely new class of composites. However, they have the complicated shapes and do not usually appear as straight reinforcements when introduced in polymer matrices. This decreases nanotube’s effectiveness in enhancing the matrix mechanical properties. In this paper, nanostructure having hexagonal representative volume element (RVE), theory of elasticity of anisotropic materials and finite element method (FEM) are used to investigate the effect of helical CNT morphology on effective mechanical properties of nanocomposites. CNT with different helical angles are modeled to estimate the nanocomposite mechanical properties. The results of helical nanotube models are compared with the effective mechanical properties of nanocomposites reinforced with straight nanotubes.


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