Adhesive Energy Between Sylgard and Inclusions: Experiments and Model Calibration

Abstract

There are well established classical experimental and analytical studies to analyze the bonding between polymers and rigid particles. On the other hand, most numerical studies of fracture in composite materials use particle/matrix interface cohesive laws and parameters extracted from the cohesive energy at the macroscale level. Such an approach enables good results when the mechanical response is compared to macroscale experiments but in high energy composites where localization of energy dissipation by delamination and friction may lead to initiation of hot spots the particle/matrix cohesive law is of extreme importance. In this work systematic experimental and numerical studies are performed to establish a cohesive law of the composite interface.