Cohesive Zone Modeling of the Elastoplastic and Failure Behavior of Polymer Nanoclay Composites

Cohesive zone model (CZM) is commonly used to deal with the nonlinear ahead of crack tips in materials elastoplastic deformation behavior. This capable predicting behavior initiation and growth. In this paper, CZM-based finite element analysis (FEA) performed examine effects processing parameters (i.e., clay nanoparticle volume fraction aspect ratio) mechanical behaviors a polymeric matrix reinforced aligned nanoparticles. The treated as an ideal solid isotropic hardening behavior, whereas nanoparticles are simplified stiff, linearly elastic platelets. Representative elements (RVEs) resulting polymer nanoclay composites (PNCs) adopted for FEA distributions follow both stack stagger configurations, respectively. study, four fractions (Vf = 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% 10%) ratios (ρ 5, 7.5, 10, 20) PNCs considered. Detailed computational results show that either increasing or ratio enhances effective tensile strength stiffness PNCs. progressive debonding process resin was predicted, initiated loading range. numerical also configuration demonstrate slightly higher values engineering stress than those based on at varying addition, predicts lower field around particles without integration CZM. present studies applicable controllable properties, especially control key PNCs, i.e.,