Limits of conventional micromechanical analysis of interface properties in glass-epoxy model composites

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 1994-11, Vol.188 (1), p.159-166
• Main Authors: Feillard, P., Rouby, D., Désarmot, G., Favre, J.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/0921-5093(94)90368-9

Pull-out fragmentation tests have been used to evaluate the influence of silane sizing on the interfacial load transfer in glass-epoxy model composites. It appears that the amount of silane dissolved in the matrix modifies substantially the mechanical properties of the matrix near the interface and hence the damage modes of the model composite. Thus the standard analysis of these micromechanical tests turns out to be insufficient and unsuitable. The authors attempt to analyse experimental fragmentation curves with an analytical computation based on a two-dimensional load-transfer model. In spite of an excellent agreement between experiments and simulation, insufficiencies in the model have been identified. Accordingly, care is required in using data drawn from pull-out and fragmentation tests and an effort must be made to improve their mechanical analysis.