Effect of mineral fillers on properties of composite matrix material

The influence of mineral fillers on thermomechanical properties of matrix material of composites is investigated. Different methods to determine elastic properties and thermal expansion coefficients of composite materials have been considered and compared. Injection moulded polyester samples containing varying concentrations of talc filler are tested and properties such as Young 's modulus, thermal expansion coefficients, and volumetric shrinkage during cure are measured. Results obtained by theoretical models and from experiments are compared and discussed.To be presented at the Ninth International Conference on the Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, October 1995).Published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 435–445, July–August, 1995.