Analytical Evaluation of Shear Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites Available to Purchase

This paper presents an analytical investigation aimed at examining the mechanical behavior of polymer micro/nanocomposites containing nonhomogeneous constituents under shear loading. Analytical models that account for the presence of the hexagonal platelet shaped clay particles and voids in matrix materials were developed for estimating in-plane shear modulus. The analytical results were compared with the properties obtained from an experimental program. For the experiment, vinylester polymer composites containing clay fillers and voids were selected, analyzed and tested under shear loading. The effects of presence of constituents on the mechanical properties of matrix materials were also investigated based on the obtained volume fraction of their constituents.