Absorption and mechanical properties of SiCp/PVDF composites

The wide utilization of stealth technology in military has increased the interest for composite materials that possess good absorption properties and mechanical behaviors. This study examined the composites of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and silicon carbide particles (SiCps) produced through blending and hot-molding technique. The absorption properties of SiCp/PVDF composite material film and the mechanical performance of composites, which are the main influencing factors in the practical applications of the present SiC composites, were primarily investigated. Given that the SiC particulates were transformed into solid spheres that were randomly distributed in the PVDF matrix, the mathematical model of the elastic modulus was obtained by using ANSYS Parameter Design Language (APDL). The elastic modulus of the composites was obtained by conducting a tensile experiment. The influence of mass fraction and size of SiC particles on the elastic modulus of SiCp/PVDF composites was determined by method of APDL simulation and tensile test. Results revealed the positive correlation between the SiCp mass percent and elastic modulus, whereas a negative correlation between the SiCp measure and elastic modulus. Thus, the most suitable mass fraction and size of SiCps were selected as a reference for engineering applications of the composites. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.