Micromechanical analysis of the elastic response of glass-epoxy hybrid composites containing silica nanoparticles

Abstract

The effects of adding silica nanoparticles on the elastic properties of glass-epoxy hybrid composites are investigated using a micromechanical method. Influences of silica nanoparticle volume fraction and diameter, the interphase elastic modulus and thickness, the glass fiber volume fraction and aspect ratio as well as off-axis angle on the elastic properties of unidirectional glass fiber-reinforced epoxy hybrid composites containing silica nanoparticles are studied. The results reveal that the addition of silica nanoparticles can improve the elastic modulus in the transverse direction, while the axial elastic modulus is not affected by silica nanoparticles. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.