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Microstructure and stiffness analysis of a new ternary melamine‐formaldehyde composite
Author(s) -
Hagstrand P.O.,
Rychwalski R. W.,
Klason C.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.10303
Subject(s) - materials science , ternary operation , microstructure , composite number , composite material , melamine , formaldehyde , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language , chemistry
A new ternary planar random fiber composite manufactured under the name RMC (Reinforced Melamine Compound) is studied. Microstructure and stiffness of the random glass fiber‐reinforced and particulate‐filled melamine‐formaldehyde composite processed by compression molding from RMC molding compounds are analyzed. Glass fiber bundles in a mixture of melamine‐formaldehyde resin with various size of filler particulates outside the bundle space, and small size particulates inside the bundle space are found from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical micrographs. The tensile modulus of the particulate‐filled matrix is modeled using equations of Halpin and Tsai, and Lewis and Nielsen. The tensile modulus of the resin/filler/fiber composite is calculated using the Halpin‐Tsai equation followed by a randomization procedure employing the averaging concept of Nielsen and Chen. Fiber bundles rather than single fibers are assumed as the reinforcing unit. Parameter ϵ representing the reinforcing efficiency is discussed for the case of stiffness in the direction transverse to the bundles orientation. Predicted values of the tensile modulus are in good agreement with experimental results for various compositions. Different resin/filler/fiber compositions are characterized using the calculated tensile modulus values together with merit indices introduced for the purpose of tailoring the composite toward minimized weight and material cost.