RT Journal Article ID 09ba13335dc43446 A1 Arabnejad, Saeid A1 Pouriayevali, Habib A1 Lim, Gin Sun A1 Cheong, Davy W. C. A1 Shim, V. P. W. T1 INTERPHASE AND AGGREGATION: TWO EFFECTIVE PARAMETERS ON MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES JF International Journal for Multiscale Computational Engineering JO JMC YR 2014 FD 2014-03-19 VO 12 IS 2 SP 115 OP 125 K1 nanocomposites K1 aggregation K1 interphase layer K1 hyperelasticity K1 semicrystalline polymers AB In this study, the quasistatic mechanical behavior of Nylon-6/silica nanocomposite is examined through a hybrid experimentalcomputational approach. Two factors, particle aggregation and the interphase layer, which affect the properties of such nanocomposites, are investigated. The polymer matrix behavior in the bulk and interphase regions is described using a hyperelastic material model calibrated by experimental tension test results conducted at room and reduced temperatures. The characteristics of the interphase and bulk polymer identified are used in a finite element representative volume element (RVE) to study the effects of particle aggregation and the presence of the interphase layer. The degree of particle dispersion in the RVE is defined using a parameter termed the degree of aggregation. Simulation results show that in the absence of an interphase layer, the mechanical properties of nanocomposites are independent of the degree of aggregation. However, with the presence of an interphase layer, the aggregation of nanoparticles decreases the mechanical properties of Nylon-6/silica nanocomposite. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/61fd1b191cf7e96f,3732412c688505c4,09ba13335dc43446.html