The elastic modulus and the thermal expansion coefficient in particulate composites by a hexaphase model.

A theoretical model for the evaluation of the elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient of particulate composites is presented in this study. This model takes into consideration the influence of neighboring spherical particles on the thermomechanical constants of the composites material consisting of matrix and filler. A microstructural composite model which represents the basic cell of the composite at a microscopic scale was transformed to a six-phase spherical representative volume element in order to apply the classical theory of elasticity to this. The obtained theoretical results using this model were compared with experimental results carried out on iron particles reinforced epoxy resin composites as well as with other theoretical values derived from expression given in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]