Modelling of Moisture Sorption by Cfrp Rebars with Vinylester Matrix
The results of experimental investigation and modelling of moisture sorption by CFRP rebars and vinylester matrix are presented. Experimental values of the rebar diffusion coefficients essentially differ from those predicted using structural approach. Essential anisotropy of sorption process in longitudinal and transverse directions is observed. Quasi three phase model is suggested for description of the CFRP rebar sorption. The model is based on consideration of sorption process of the diffusion character in the composite consisted of two phases: resin and microplastic, which includes fibres and fibre-resin interphase. The suggested model describes the experimental sorption data quite sat…
Limits of the linear viscoelastic behaviour of polyamide 66 filled with TiO2 nanoparticles: Effect of strain rate, temperature, and moisture
Abstract Limits of linear viscoelastic behaviour of TiO 2 nanoparticle-filled polyamides are estimated quantitatively by the results of uniaxial tension tests. The stress limit of the filled polymer is higher than that of the un-filled one. Their values are the lower, the higher the temperature and moisture content of test specimens, and the lower, the lower the strain rate. The concept of an energy threshold for the linear viscoelastic behaviour is used to comprehensively characterize the limits over a wide range of test conditions. The energy limit is not affected by the strain rate, temperature, or moisture, and its value for the filled polymer is higher than that for the un-filled one. …
Long-term moisture absorption and durability of FRP pultruded rebars
Abstract Up to 15-years long moisture diffusion into carbon, glass, and aramid fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) rebars is studied. To eliminate uncertainties in identification of the radial and axial diffusivities, a successive methodology for determination of the diffusion coefficients is proposed. The concept of apparent diffusivity taking into account anisotropy and edge effects is extended to cylindrical samples. The ratio of the axial and radial diffusivities is the lowest for carbon (3) and the highest for glass (81) FRP rebars. Durability performance of the rebars is estimated by monitoring their interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). Long-term exposure of FRP rebars in a humid environmen…
Hydrothermally resistant thermally reduced graphene oxide and multi-wall carbon nanotube based epoxy nanocomposites
This study is focused on the investigation of thermo-mechanical properties of an epoxy resin filled with thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) after exposure of samples to hot distilled water. Addition of low contents of TRGO and MWCNTs greatly reduces the water sorption capacity of the epoxy polymer and improves its resistance to hydrothermal ageing. The glassy and rubbery moduli of the neat epoxy decreased for about 20% and 80%, respectively, while TRGO-based epoxy filled with 0.3 wt.% of TRGO showed only 6% reduction of both moduli. Hydrothermal ageing resulted in an enormous drop in the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the neat epoxy, by abo…
Anomalous water diffusion in epoxy/carbon nanoparticle composites
Abstract Water absorption-desorption-resorption and swelling were studied for a DGEBA-based amine-cured epoxy resin filled with four types of carbon nanoparticles: multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), graphite nano-platelets (GnP), expanded graphite platelets, and carbon black. Nanocomposites are characterised by lower diffusivity (down to 20% for epoxy/GnP) and increased water sorption capacity compared to the neat epoxy. Anomalous water absorption and swelling of nanocomposites is finely described by the diffusion-relaxation model. The relaxation times, considered as quantitative indicators of changes in segmental mobility of the polymer, increased with addition of nanoparticles and decrea…
Hydrothermal degradation of biobased poly(butylene succinate)/nanofibrillated cellulose composites
Biobased polymers and composites have gained increased global attention due to their abundance, renewability, and biodegradability. Natural fillers such as cellulose-based fillers improve the mechanical properties of biopolymers, extending their application range, while maintaining the eco-friendly characteristics of the materials. Mowing towards engineering applications, requirements imposed on materials’ durability with regard to their environmental impact and high performance is necessary. Variations of ambient humidity and temperature could essentially reduce the service lifetime of biobased polymer composites. This study is focused on the hydrothermal degradation of poly(butylene succi…
Water absorption and hydrothermal ageing of epoxy adhesives reinforced with amino-functionalized graphene oxide nanoparticles
Abstract The study is focused on quantitative characterization of water absorption and hydrothermal ageing effects in a room-temperature amine cured epoxy adhesive widely used in automotive, aerospace, construction, and marine industries. Amino-functionalized graphene oxide (mGO) nanoparticles were incorporated into the epoxy (up to 1.72 wt.%) enabled cross-linking reactions and providing high interfacial adhesion, superior reinforcement efficiency and enhanced resistance to hydrothermal ageing of nanocomposites. Anomalous water absorption accompanied by progressive weight loss of samples (down to 7%) is fitted by two-stage models considering additive and coupled contribution from water dif…
Water transport in epoxy/MWCNT composites
Moisture and water uptake of epoxy/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites was studied in a wide range of atmosphere relative humidity and temperatures. Addition of up to 1 wt.% of MWCNTs into the neat epoxy resulted to the twofold decrease of the diffusivity, while the levels of moisture/water uptake remained unchanged. The positive effect on the reduction of the diffusion coefficient diminishes with the increase of temperature. Differences in the water transport properties and plasticization ability of the neat polymer and its nanocomposites are explained by the free volume considerations and the polymer–water interactions, which are verified by the results of thermomechanical analy…
Strain-dependent electrical resistance of epoxy/MWCNT composite after hydrothermal aging
Abstract The electrical resistance of epoxy/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites was studied under the effect of hygro- and hydrothermal aging. Tensile tests were conducted and the responses in the electrical resistance were measured during the tests for samples with different prehistory of environmental exposure. The overall pattern of the electrical resistance change versus strain for the samples tested consists of linear and nonlinear regions with a broad peak that precedes the ultimate strength of the sample and occurs at the onset of evident plastic deformation in the stress–strain curve. The composite with lower content of MWCNTs exhibits a more pronounced nonlinear behavior …
Durability of Biodegradable Polymer Nanocomposites
Biodegradable polymers (BP) are often regarded as the materials of the future, which address the rising environmental concerns. The advancement of biorefineries and sustainable technologies has yielded various BP with excellent properties comparable to commodity plastics. Water resistance, high dimensional stability, processability and excellent physicochemical properties limit the reviewed materials to biodegradable polyesters and modified compositions of starch and cellulose, both known for their abundance and relatively low price. The addition of different nanofillers and preparation of polymer nanocomposites can effectively improve BP with controlled functional properties and change the…
Softening of Silica Filled Styrene-Butadiene Rubber under Uniaxial Cyclic Loading
Stress-strain behaviour of silica filled styrene-butadiene rubber showed strong hysteresis and cyclic softening, while these effects were almost negligible for the neat rubber. Significant Mullins effect occurs between the first and second loading cycles, whereupon samples reach their steady state after four repeated cycles. The degree of softening increases with volume content of silica characterizing the softening effect as a breakdown of the filler-formed microstructure defined by both, specific interactions in the filler associations and between the filler and rubber matrix. Contribution of different damage mechanisms to the total energy losses on different stages of extension was estim…
Ethylene-vinyl Acetate Thermoplastic Copolymers Filled with Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes: Effect of Hydrothermal Ageing on Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Properties
A range of properties of two commercial thermoplastic ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, Elvax 420 and Elvax 450, neat and as melt-mixed composite filled with 15 wt.-% of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), are studied in the “as produced” state and after hydrothermal ageing. Addition of MWCNTs into the neat copolymers introduces the functionality of electrical conductivity and significantly improves their mechanical properties, while thermal characteristics are slightly affected by the presence of carbon nanotubes. A remarkable increase of the elastic modulus (150%) and stress at failure (50%) in stress–strain experiments as well as creep resistance (40%) of the nanocomposites in c…
Volume Changes in Filled Rubber Under Uniaxial Cyclic Loading
Styrene-butadiene rubber, neat and filled with different silica content was investigated under uniaxial cyclic loading under a constant crosshead speed, with increasing deformation amplitude in subsequent loading cycles. Rubber was investigated in order to evaluate the reversibility of structure rearrangements, occurring in rubber when subjected to cyclic loading. Volume uniformly increases with growing strain and shows hysteresis at unloading. After complete unloading, no residual strain changes are observed. These data are in good conformity with the data of density measurements, which were made on specimens before and after the tests. By correlating data, obtained from volume changes and…
Hydrothermal Ageing Effect on Reinforcement Efficiency of Nanofibrillated Cellulose/Biobased Poly(butylene succinate) Composites
Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) is a sustainable functional nanomaterial known for its high strength, stiffness, and biocompatibility. It has become a key building block for the next-generation of lightweight, advanced materials for applications such as consumer products, biomedical, energy storage, coatings, construction, and automotive. Tunable and predictable durability under environmental impact is required for high performance applications. Bio-based poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) composites containing up to 50% NFC content were designed and aged in distilled water or at high relative humidity (RH98%). PBS/NFC composites are characterized by up to 10-fold increased water absorption ca…
Relationship between the residual and total strain from creep‐recovery tests of polypropylene/multiwall carbon nanotube composites
From Wood and Hemp Biomass Wastes to Sustainable Nanocellulose Foams
Abstract Transition to the circular economy requires the implementation of recycling and reuse routes for waste products. This research addresses one of the leading emerging areas, i.e., the development of sustainable materials and natural waste processing, namely wood and hemp byproducts. The cellulosic nanomaterials derived from these under-utilized waste residues and byproducts also serve as promising natural precursors for advanced applications, e.g., biomedical, pollution filtering, and thermal insulation. The wood and hemp fibrils were prepared by microfluidic processing of 0.2 – 1.0 wt% cellulose water suspensions. After freeze-drying, the resulting foam materials were characterized …
Poisson's ratio and the incompressibility relation for various strain measures with the example of a silica-filled SBR rubber in uniaxial tension tests
Abstract The controversy in the definition of Poisson's ratio (PR) as a material constant is discussed in this study. PR of an isotropic material is usually defined as the ratio, taken with the opposite sign, between its lateral and longitudinal strains under the action of longitudinal stresses. However, if deformations of the material are large, the value of PR depends on the strain measure used. Five different measures of strain are considered, and a unified relation in terms of stretch ratios is obtained for calculating the PR. It is demonstrated that only for Hencky strains is the value of PR of an incompressible material constant and equal to 0.5 over its entire extension range. Other …
A method for determination of time- and temperature-dependences of stress threshold of linear-nonlinear viscoelastic transition: Energy-Based Approach
A methodology for determination of time- and temperature-dependences of stress threshold of linear–nonlinear viscoelastic transition is proposed and validated by example of uniaxial creep of epoxy resin. Energy approach is applied for characterization of the region of linear viscoelasticity (LVE) and the threshold of LVE is given in the stress–strain representation as the master curve independent of time and temperature. Time- and temperature-dependences of the stress threshold are calculated by extending LVE theory and time–temperature superposition principles (TTSP) to the energy relations. Reasonable agreement between experimental data and calculations is obtained. It is shown that numbe…
Application of time–stress superposition to nonlinear creep of polyamide 66 filled with nanoparticles of various sizes
The long-term tensile creep of polyamide 66 and its nanocomposites filled with 1 vol.% TiO2 nanoparticles 21 and 300 nm in diameter is studied. It is assumed that the dominant mechanisms of creep deformation are of viscoelastic nature, while the contribution of plastic strains is not essential in the stress (< 0.6 of the ultimate stress) and time (about 100 hours) ranges considered. The creep isochrones obtained show that the materials exhibit a nonlinear viscoelastic behaviour and the degree of nonlinearity is reduced significantly by incorporation of the nanoparticles. The evolution of viscoelastic strains is less pronounced for the nanocomposite filled with smaller nanoparticles. Smooth …
Effective electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube–epoxy nanocomposites
The electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube–epoxy composites is investigated analytically and experimentally. The theoretical predictions of the effective electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube–epoxy composites were performed by the analytical approach based on a micromechanical model of composites. The parametric analysis carried out revealed an influence of geometrical and electrical parameters of the micromechanical model on the effective electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube–epoxy nanocomposite. The nanocomposites made from the DGEBA-based and RTM6 epoxy resins filled with different weight content of Baytubes C150P and N7000 multi-walled carbon nanotubes were prepared. The …
Effects of Moisture and Stresses on the Structure and Properties of Polyester Resin
The results of a complex study of structural changes in a cured Norpol 440 polyester resin under the action of damp environment and mechanical loading are presented. A considerable effect of absorbed moisture on the structure and some characteristics of the material is revealed by using thermophysical methods and X-ray diffractometry. The joint effect of moisture and mechanical stress is estimated by investigating the creep in stationary and nonstationary moisture conditions. The anisotropy of the material structure formed during creep is evaluated from the results of dilatometric measurements. It is found that the degree of anisotropy of the material after creep accompanied by moisture sor…
Creep and recovery of epoxy/MWCNT nanocomposites
Abstract Creep and creep–recovery of epoxy/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites was studied in a wide range of applied loads in order to evaluate the contribution of nanotubes on the time-dependent behaviour of the epoxy matrix. Incorporation of up to 1 wt.% of C150P MWCNTs has negligible influence on the elastic, viscoelastic and viscoplastic response of the epoxy system. No systematic changes of the creep characteristics depending on the content of nanotubes are noticed in the range of stresses from 0.3 up to 0.75 from the ultimate strength. Creep resistance and recovery performance of the epoxy matrix is not negatively affected by the addition of MWCNTs and the same analytical m…
Application of time-temperature superposition to energy limit of linear viscoelastic behavior
The energy approach for evaluation of the limits of linear viscoelastic (LVE) behavior is considered. The approach of Foux and Bruller based on the Reiner-Weissenberg dynamic theory of strength is developed for the temperature effect. Value of the stored energy at the limit of LVE is considered as the material characteristic independent on loading conditions and temperature. Time–temperature superposition principle is extended for the energy calculations. Curves of the stored energy calculated for different temperatures are shifted to each other in the logarithmic time axes similarly as creep compliance and relaxation modulus curves in creep and tension tests, respectively. Temperature is c…