Ductile-to-Ductile Transition in Particle-Filled Polymer Composites

摘要

One of the main disadvantages of particle-filled composites based on thermoplastic matrices is a sharp drop in the fracture strain in composition with a tiller concentration of about 10 vol % and higher. This is explained by the transition from ductile to brittle fracture of the composite. In this paper, it is shown that embrittleroent of a particle-tilled composite based on a ductile polymer deforming with neck propagation can he avoided if the following conditions are fulfilled; (i) the ultimate strength of the matrix exceeds its upper yield stress and lib extension of the composite is not accompanied by the formation of diamond pores (cracks). The latter condition is satisfied when the average particle size is below u certain critical value determined by the fracture toughness of the polymer matrix [1].