Author Index to Volume 8

Pull-out experiments have been carried out with Kevlar fibres embedded in epoxy resin. Friction accompanied debonding, and had to be allowed for in the analysis. The debonding stress was about equal to the matrix strength for 80°C cured epoxies. However, debonding appears to be a brittle fracture process, and the works of fracture corresponding to the apparent interface strengths are very low, ranging from ca. 20-40 Jm^-2 depending on the surface treatment and degree of cure of the resin. Water immersion for 2300 h at room temperature reduced the apparent strengths and works of fracture with some of the surface treated fibres, but not with the untreated fibres. Interface pressures during debonding were 10-15 MPa for the 20°C cured specimens and 20-30 MPa for the 80°C cure. Water soaking markedly reduced the friction coefficients. Post-debonding friction was high, but estimates of the parameters was probably unreliable due to the fibre having a somewhat thick end due to fibrillation when being cut.     

Stress field calculation around a particle in elastic–plastic polymer matrix under multiaxial loading as basis for the determination of adhesion strength

The stress distribution around a single particle coated with an elastic interphase embedded within an elastic–plastic polymer matrix under multiaxial load was considered. The specimen has a curved (necked) geometry, which causes multiaxial local stresses in the neighbourhood of the particle. The motivation for the calculations is to determine the maximum radial stress (debonding strength) at the particle surface as a function of applied load. The effect of the particle size on failure initiation is considered. Assuming that the normal stress at the interface is responsible for debonding, the adhesion strength can be determined from the critical load at debonding initiation. Because of the matrix yielding, the relation between the applied load and the maximum radial stress at the particle/interphase interface is a non-linear one. Using this relation, the determination of interfacial strength will be possible by a tensile test.     

The single-fibre pull-out method: its advantages,interpretation and experimental realization

Past results from the single-fibre pull-out tests are reviewed and new results obtained with carbon in thermoplastics are presented. The force-distance curve during pull-out indicates some pseudo-ductility, in some cases, as the applied force builds up to the failure load. However, the failure itself is not ductile; rather, it is sudden, suggesting brittle fracture. The debonding force vs. embedded length (L) plots range from straight lines intersecting the origin, through smooth curves, to scatter diagrams, depending on the fibre and polymer. Interfacial shear strengths estimated from the shorter embedded lengths are often high and, quite frequently, higher than that of the polymer matrix. In addition, there is normally no correlation between interface properties (strength or work of fracture) and the corresponding polymer properties. This could well be due to the growth of an oriented interphasial layer, with a modulus and strength up to six times greater than that of the bulk polymer, as has been observed for modulus at least, with particulate reinforced materials.     

Reliability of fiber Bragg grating sensors embedded in textile composites

The reliability of the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors embedded in textile composites with both dual-end and single-end is studied in this paper. The effects of debonding of the interfaces of the fiber/coating and coating/resin on the reliability are considered. Measurement error induced by the deviation of the location of sensors after embedding into a composite has been analyzed for the three-point bending experiments. The analysis indicates that the determination of the precise location of FBG sensors would be a key problem when the sensors are embedded in a large gradient strain field. The experimental results show that the debonding at the interfaces has great effect on the reliability of single-ended FBG sensors and little effect on that of dual-ended sensors. It is suggested that FBG sensors be calibrated before they are imbedded into composite, which will help to improve the precision of the measurement and avoid damage to sensors to ensure the sensor's strength while the composite is under loading.     

Interfacial debonding behavior of a rigid particle-filled polymer composite

Glass beads, non-modified and modified with coupling agent, were filled separately into high density polyethylene to obtain composite materials with different interfacial adhesion strengths. In situtensile tests reveal the damage mechanisms, which are mainly induced by the interfacial debonding. The interfacial debonding process is observed and studied. The debonding stress is found to be linearly related to the opening angle formed at two poles of the particles. Initial and final opening angles, in addition to the corresponding debonding stresses, are measured. The interfacial fracture energy obtained by using the Griffith fracture theory is found to be 0.028 J m^-2 and 0.058 J m^-2 for mechanical anchorage and physical entanglement across the interface, respectively. The stronger the interfacial adhesion, the smaller is the maximum opening angle and greater the debonding stress.     

Effect of interfacial debonding and matrix cracking on mechanical properties of multidirectional composites

In composites, debonding at the fiber–matrix interface and matrix cracking due to loading or residual stresses can effect the mechanical properties. Here three different architectures — 3-directional orthogonal, 3-directional 8-harness satin weave and 4-directional in-plane multidirectional composites — are investigated and their effective properties are determined for different volume fractions using unit cell modeling with appropriate periodic boundary conditions. A cohesive zone model (CZM) has been used to simulate the interfacial debonding, and an octahedral shear stress failure criterion is used for the matrix cracking. The debonding and matrix cracking have significant effect on the mechanical properties of the composite. As strain increases, debonding increases, which produces a significant reduction in all the moduli of the composite. In the presence of residual stresses, debonding and resulting deterioration in properties occurs at much lower strains. Debonding accompanied with matrix cracking leads to further deterioration in the properties. The interfacial strength has a significant effect on debonding initiation and mechanical properties in the absence of residual stresses, whereas, in the presence of residual stresses, there is no effect on mechanical properties. A comparison of predicted results with experimental results shows that, while the tensile moduli E ₁₁, E ₃₃and shear modulus G ₁₂ match well, the predicted shear modulus G ₁₃ is much lower.     

Design and validation of a single sphere multi-detector neutron spectrometer based on LiF: Mg,Cu,P thermoluminescent dosemeters

This communication describes a new neutron spectrometer consisting of pairs of ⁷Li and ⁶Li based thermoluminescent dosemeters (MCP-6, MCP-7) located at selected positions within a single moderating polyethylene sphere. The spatial arrangement of the dosemeters has been designed using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code to calculate the response matrix in order to obtain a nearly isotropic response for neutrons in the energy range up to 20 MeV. A partial validation of the calculated response matrix has been performed with the calibrated ²⁴¹Am–Be neutron source at the INFN–LNF Laboratory, using the shadow cone technique.     

Zr and Ba edge phenomena in the scintillation intensity of fluorozirconate‐based glass‐ceramic X‐ray detectors

The energy‐dependent scintillation intensity of Eu‐doped fluorozirconate glass‐ceramic X‐ray detectors has been investigated in the energy range from 10 to 40 keV. The experiments were performed at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, USA. The glass ceramics are based on Eu‐doped fluorozirconate glasses, which were additionally doped with chlorine to initiate the nucleation of BaCl₂ nanocrystals therein. The X‐ray excited scintillation is mainly due to the 5d–4f transition of Eu²⁺ embedded in the BaCl₂ nanocrystals; Eu²⁺ in the glass does not luminesce. Upon appropriate annealing the nanocrystals grow and undergo a phase transition from a hexagonal to an orthorhombic phase of BaCl₂. The scintillation intensity is investigated as a function of the X‐ray energy, particle size and structure of the embedded nanocrystals. The scintillation intensity versus X‐ray energy dependence shows that the intensity is inversely proportional to the photoelectric absorption of the material, i.e. the more photoelectric absorption the less scintillation. At 18 and 37.4 keV a significant decrease in the scintillation intensity can be observed; this energy corresponds to the K‐edge of Zr and Ba, respectively. The glass matrix as well as the structure and size of the embedded nanocrystals have an influence on the scintillation properties of the glass ceramics.     

Effect of matrix yield properties on fragmentation behavior of single fiber composites

Experimental and theoretical investigations have been conducted to study the dependence of fiber fragmentation behavior on matrix yielding properties. The cured Epikote 828 resins with two types of curing agents have almost similar elastic moduli, but different tensile yield strengths. The interfacial chemistry between fiber and epoxy resin is unchanged due to the same constituent of the epoxy resin. The experimental results indicate that the fragmentation behavior of the fibers embedded in the matrix is significantly different for the tested glass fiber treated by γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The average fragment length decreased with increasing tensile yield strength of resin, which suggests that the interfacial shear strength determined in the fragmentation test should be different depending on the tensile yield strength of resin used. The important phenomenon observed is the transition of the micro-damage mode from matrix crack to interfacial debonding. An elastoplastic shear-lag model was used to calculate the shear stress and fiber tensile stress distributions considering different plastic behaviors of the matrices. The theoretical results indicate that the plastic behavior of the matrix has a large influence on stress transfer. Based on elastic and plastic properties of the matrix, the fiber fragmentation behavior in the matrix is predicted. Experimental and theoretical results are favorably compared.     

Scatteration and Absorption Characteristics of Multilayered Gratings Embedded in a Dielectric Slab*

A rigorous and simple method of analyzing scattering and absorbing characteristics of multilayered gratings embedded in a dielectric slab has been proposed. The method combines a generalized scattering matrix with a lattice sums matrix and a T-matrix of an isolated single cylinder instead of the aggregate T-matrix. The validity of the present method has been confirmed by several numerical experiments and comparisons with other published results. Numerical examples show that the absorbing characteristics become very complex and are not linear with the decreasing of cylinders’ conductivity, when the arrays are stacked to a multilayered structure and are embedded in a dielectric slab.* Supported by the 21^st Century COE Program “Reconstruction of Social Infrastructure Related to Information Science and Electrical Engineerings”.     

Pull-out tests with fibre-metal systems

Fibre pull-out experiments have been carried out to compare the behaviour of reactive and non-reactive fibre-reinforced metal systems. The test samples were made by melting the metal matrix in vacuum and lowering the fibre a known depth into the liquid. In all cases some brittleness appeared to develop, since final interface failure, except with steel-99% AI, was sudden, and the values of the debonding force were quite scattered in all cases. Otherwise the results agreed with earlier observations, i.e. a linear increase in debonding force with increasing embedded length until the force was high enough to break the fibre rather than debond it. Some yielding was noticeable before failure. An elasticity analysis suggested that high shear stresses were needed in some cases to initiate yielding. However, the interface strengths, as indicated by the debonding forces, were no more than about twice the shear yield stresses of the matrices, as indicated by compressive tests on the metals. A reaction layer was observed on steel which was embedded in the aluminum, but this did not appear to reduce the interface strength. With W-Cu, on the other hand, a thin layer of copper was present on the pulled out tungsten fibre, while with SiC-AI, the silicon carbide had some carbon present on the surface, with traces of AI.     

Effects of residual stress and interfacial frictional shear stress on interfacial debonding at notch-tip in two-dimensional unidirectional composite

A calculation method based on the shear lag approach was presented to get an approximate estimate of influences of residual stresses and frictional shear stress at the debonded interface on the interfacial debonding behavior at the notch-tip along fiber direction in two-dimensional unidirectional double-edge-notched composites. With this method, the energy release rate for initiation and growth of debonding as a function of composite stress were calculated for some examples. The calculation results showed in outline how much the tensile and compressive residual stresses in the matrix and fiber along fiber direction, respectively, act to hasten the initiation and growth of the debonding when the final cut element in the notch is matrix, while they act to retard them when the final cut element is fiber, and how much the frictional shear stress at the debonded interface reduces the growth rate of the debonding.     

Is there any contradiction between the stress and energy failure criteria in micromechanical tests? Part II. Crack propagation: Effect of friction on force-displacement curves

In micromechanical tests for estimating fiber-matrix interfacial properties, such as the pull-out and microbond tests, fiber debonding from a matrix is often accompanied by friction in debonded areas. In the present study, force-displacement curves, which are usually recorded in these tests, were modeled with taking interfacial friction into consideration. The friction stress was assumed, as a first approximation, to be constant across the interface. Two different approaches to interfacial failure were used: the shear-lag approach with a stress-based debonding criterion (the ultimate interfacial shear strength) and the linear elastic fracture mechanics approach using the critical energy release rate as a condition for crack propagation. The force-displacement curves derived from both models are in good agreement with each other and with experimental micromechanical data. It was shown that any pull-out and microbond experiment comprises four stages: (1) linear loading up to the point where debonding starts; (2) stable crack propagation with friction-controlled debonding; (3) catastrophic debonding; and (4) post-debonding friction. Stable crack propagation was shown to be controlled by both friction and release of residual thermal stresses. An algorithm for estimating both fiber-matrix adhesion and interfacial friction from the microbond and pull-out tests data has been proposed.     

Optical properties of acceptor-exciton complexes in ZnO/SiO2 quantum dots

The binding energy E_b of the acceptor-exciton complex (A⁻,X) as a function of the radius (or of the impurity position of the acceptor) and the normalized oscillator strength of (A⁻,X) in spherical ZnO quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a SiO₂ matrix are calculated using the effective-mass approximation under the diagonalzation matrix technique, including a three-dimensional confinement of the carrier in the QD and assuming a finite depth. Numerical results show that the binding energy of the acceptor-exciton complexes is particularly robust when the impurity position of the acceptor is in the center of the ZnO QDs. It has been clearly shown from our calculations that these physical parameters are very sensitive to the quantum dot size and to the impurity position. These results could be particularly helpful, since they are closely related to experiments performed on such nanoparticles. This may allow us to improve the stability and efficiency of the semiconductor quantum dot luminescence which is considered critical.     

Melting of embedded anisotropic particles: PbIn inclusions in Al

Small particles embedded in the solid state can assume facetted shapes that indicate the anisotropy in interfacial free energy between the particle and the embedding phase. Previous in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of Al–In has shown that such facetted nanoparticles with cubic symmetry embedded in a solid can produce a series of complex melt configurations. To determine the dependence of melt configuration on solid–solid facet energies, this work numerically calculates the equilibrium melt trajectory for a family of cuboctahedral particles parameterized by the ratio of matrix–particle interfacial free energies for orientations taken with respect to the crystal axes of the matrix, ??=?γ₁₀₀/γ₁₁₁. The calculations assume that equilibrium occurs with the minimization of the total interfacial free energy to determine the stable internal melt configuration for a fixed volume of melt confined within a member of the cuboctahedral family. At particular melt volume fractions, abrupt transitions in shape occur when a stable configuration reaches a touching or necking instability. In situ TEM of a dilute Al alloy containing embedded nanosized PbIn inclusions that gradually melt as the temperature is increased from 230 to 260°C is consistent with the results calculated for ??=?1.245.     

Optical nonlinearities of Au nanoparticles embedded in a zinc oxide matrix

Optical nonlinearities of Au nanoparticles embedded in zinc oxide (ZnO) matrix have been investigated by the Z-scan method at the wavelength of 532 nm using nanosecond Nd³⁺:YAG laser radiation. The nonlinear refractive index has been measured and the real part of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility is deduced. The results of the investigation of nonlinear refraction using the off-axis Z-scan configuration are presented and the mechanisms responsible for the nonlinear response are discussed. The nonlinear refraction is found to be negative (self-defocusing) in the vicinity of the surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, its strength is shown to be larger for materials having higher gold concentration. Finally, the prevailing influence of the electronic Kerr effect over the possible thermo-optical contribution is demonstrated.     

Study of the structural photoinduced dynamics of a solid Kr matrix with an NO impurity

In the present work we studied the immediate medium response to the excitation to the Rydberg state of NO impurity embedded in a solid Kr matrix. The excitation, extended over a large range of the lattice was investigated by classical molecular dynamics simulations. This has been done using Lennard-Jones pair potentials from the literature for the interactions and fitted in this work for the ones, since these last have not been reported in literature. Thus is obtained the first shell response to the excitation of the impurity (approximately the first 2 ps) as well as the response of the continuous shells up to the 10th one. This first response of the first shell is compared to that for similar systems (Ne and Ar matrixes doped with NO). Therefore some theoretical conclusions are drawn. The results indicate the inertial character of the response propagation throughout the surrounding medium and the high degree of nuclear coherence at short times.Received: 27 February 2003, Published online: 30 July 2003PACS: 34.30.+h Intramolecular energy transfer; intramolecular dynamics; dynamics of van der Waals molecules - 02.70.Ns Molecular dynamics and particle methods - 31.70.Ks Molecular solids     

A theory of intermediate structure,overlapping resonances and photonuclear reactions in light nuclei

Starting from a many body Hamiltonian a general theory involving intermediate structures and overlapping resonances in nuclear reaction has been worked out. This treatment, based on Trefftz's work on dielectronic recombination in atomic physics, avoids explicit use of projection operators and all relevant quantities like decay widths and energy shifts are explicitly expressed in terms of two body matrix elements. In particular, attention has been focused on the interaction of bound states among themselves and then on the coupling of the continuum with these interacting bound states. For the case of overlapping resonances, it is shown that in general one cannot take a simple energy average of the resonant amplitudes, and explicit equations for this case have been obtained. This microscopic theory also provides a justification of the model of Duke, Malik, and Firk in explaining the intermediate structure in giant dipole resonance region of ¹⁶O and ²⁸Si. However, the formalism is a general one and is suitable for the study of intermediate structure involving isolated and overlapping resonances for many types of reactions.     

Unfolding the fast neutron spectra of a BC501A liquid scintillation detector using GRAVEL method

Accurate knowledge of the neutron energy spectra is useful in basic research and applications. The overall procedure of measuring and unfolding the fast neutron energy spectra with BC501A liquid scintillation detector is described. The recoil proton spectrum of 241Am-Be neutrons was obtained experimentally. With the NRESP7 code, the response matrix of detector was simulated. Combining the recoil proton spectrum and response matrix, the unfolding of neutron spectra was performed by GRAVEL iterative algorithm. A MatLab program based on the GRAVEL method was developed. The continuous neutron spectrum of ²⁴¹Am-Be source and monoenergetic neutron spectrum of D-T source have been unfolded successfully and are in good agreement with their standard reference spectra. The unfolded ²⁴¹Am-Be spectrum are more accurate than the spectra unfolded by artificial neural networks in recent years.     

Crack propagation in amorphous polymers and their composites

The fracture energy of a polymer depends strongly on the viscoelastic responses of the material, and therefore is a function of temperature and crack velocity. The toughness of a composite is determined by the way in which the reinforcing filler modifies the energy dissipating mechanisms of the polymeric matrix.

The fracture toughness of a variety of polymeric glasses and their composites with glass beads, glass fibers, and rubber particles was measured. The velocity of rapidly moving cracks and the crack propagation rates under controlled loading conditions were also measured.

It was found that the crack propagation velocities in unfilled and glass bead filled materials were controlled by the longitudinal stress waves in the matrix and that the only effects of the glass beads were to blunt the crack tip and limit the viscous deformation. The effect on fracture toughness was relatively small and either positive or negative, depending on which of the above two factors dominated.

The presence of rubber particles as a second phase lowered terminal crack propagation velocities and greatly increased the fracture toughness, indicating a crack retarding effect of the rubber particles. This is related to the induction of crazes in the matrix by the rubber phase.

Glass fibers had a tendency to bridge the tip of a propagating crack, thereby greatly increasing the fracture toughness. In this case the work of fracture comes from a combination of the elastic strain energy stored in the fibers, the energy dissipated in debonding the fibers from the matrix, and the fracture energy of the matrix itself.