Predicting the properties of micro- and nanocomposites: from the microwhiskers to the bristled nano-centipedes.

The paper draws on the similarities between the well-known process of whiskerization of microfibres and the recent idea of bristled nanowires. The new method for evaluation of the effective elastic properties of such materials is suggested based on the model of four-component composition. This model assumes the transverse isotropy of continuum and predicts five elastic moduli and density as independent effective constants. An example of calculation of the constants for the particular materials is given. It shows the significant increase in the shear strength of composites with whiskerized or bristled fibres.