Chapter 6
Micromechanical Models of PVA-Based
Bionanocomposite Films
Abstract To investigate the effect of the interphase on elastic modulus of bulk
bionanocomposite films, a theoretical framework was proposed for the first time
to systematically calculate interphase volume fraction according to stereological
theory and nearest-surface distribution functions in this chapter. A three-phase
composite model was employed based on hard-core-soft-shell structures including
hard monodispersed or polydispersed anisotropic particles, as well as soft interphase
and matrices. The effective volume fraction of nanoparticles was estimated in a simple
theoretical approach by considering both volume fraction and geometric configuration of interphases. Experimentally determined tensile moduli of polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA)-based bionanocomposite films were predicted by using Halpin–Tsai model
and Mori–Tanaka model in which effective volume fraction of randomly oriented
nanoparticles resulted from the inclusion of interphase properties and volume fractions. Moreover, associated results suggested that the estimation of elastic modulus
according to effective volume fraction revealed much better agreement with experimental data, as opposed to that based on nominal volume fraction. In particular, the
use of polydispersed nanodiameter bamboo charcoals (NBCs), halloysite nanotubes
(HNTs) and Cloisite 30B clays with Fuller particulate gradation was proven to show
the best prediction with experimental data among all proposed theoretical models.
Keywords Micromechanical modelling · Nanomechanical properties · 3D
interphase · Monodispersed and polydispersed particles · Particulate gradation
6.1 Introduction
Micromechanical models such as Halpin–Tsai model [1] and Mori–Tanaka model [2]
generally neglect the interphase formation between fillers and matrices for simplicity.
As a result, mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites can be either overestimated based on such conventional composite theoretical models for polymer/carbon
This chapter takes partial content materials from authors’ published research article ‘Mousa M,
Dong Y (2020) Towards sophisticated 3D interphase modelling of advanced bionanocomposites via atomic force microscopy, J Nanomater, Article ID 4526108’ under Creative Commons
Attribution License.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Mousa and Y. Dong, Multiscaled PVA Bionanocomposite Films,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8771-9_6
139
Micromechanical Models of PVA-Based
Bionanocomposite Films
Abstract To investigate the effect of the interphase on elastic modulus of bulk
bionanocomposite films, a theoretical framework was proposed for the first time
to systematically calculate interphase volume fraction according to stereological
theory and nearest-surface distribution functions in this chapter. A three-phase
composite model was employed based on hard-core-soft-shell structures including
hard monodispersed or polydispersed anisotropic particles, as well as soft interphase
and matrices. The effective volume fraction of nanoparticles was estimated in a simple
theoretical approach by considering both volume fraction and geometric configuration of interphases. Experimentally determined tensile moduli of polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA)-based bionanocomposite films were predicted by using Halpin–Tsai model
and Mori–Tanaka model in which effective volume fraction of randomly oriented
nanoparticles resulted from the inclusion of interphase properties and volume fractions. Moreover, associated results suggested that the estimation of elastic modulus
according to effective volume fraction revealed much better agreement with experimental data, as opposed to that based on nominal volume fraction. In particular, the
use of polydispersed nanodiameter bamboo charcoals (NBCs), halloysite nanotubes
(HNTs) and Cloisite 30B clays with Fuller particulate gradation was proven to show
the best prediction with experimental data among all proposed theoretical models.
Keywords Micromechanical modelling · Nanomechanical properties · 3D
interphase · Monodispersed and polydispersed particles · Particulate gradation
6.1 Introduction
Micromechanical models such as Halpin–Tsai model [1] and Mori–Tanaka model [2]
generally neglect the interphase formation between fillers and matrices for simplicity.
As a result, mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites can be either overestimated based on such conventional composite theoretical models for polymer/carbon
This chapter takes partial content materials from authors’ published research article ‘Mousa M,
Dong Y (2020) Towards sophisticated 3D interphase modelling of advanced bionanocomposites via atomic force microscopy, J Nanomater, Article ID 4526108’ under Creative Commons
Attribution License.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Mousa and Y. Dong, Multiscaled PVA Bionanocomposite Films,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8771-9_6
139