title: Interfacial energy dissipation in a cellulose nanowhisker composite.
abstract: Cyclic tensile and compressive deformation is applied to cellulose nanowhisker-epoxy resin based model nanocomposites. The molecular deformation of the cellulose nanowhiskers within the epoxy resin matrix is followed using a Raman spectroscopy technique, whereby shifts in the position of a band located at ∼ 1095 cm(-1) are shown to correlate directly with a breakdown in the interfaces between the resin and the nanowhiskers and between nanowhiskers themselves. A theoretical model is used to determine the dissipation of energy at the interfaces between whiskers and at the whisker-matrix interface. This approach is shown to be useful for interpreting the local micromechanics of these materials by providing a quantitative measure of the quality of the interface.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials and the Northwest Composites Centre, University of Manchester, Paper Science Building, Sackville Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: Rafeadah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rusli
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Eichhorn
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose