Work

Composite Heterogeneity Threshold (CHT) in CNT- and Oxide-Modified Woven Glass/Epoxy Composites Under Multi-Loading Conditions: Experimental Validation and Continuum Model Assessment

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: nanoparticles to comparatively evaluate their influence on tensile, flexural, and low-velocity impact performance within an integrated experimental-numerical framework. Nanoparticles were incorporated at controlled weight fractions to identify dispersion-controlled reinforcement regimes and the onset of heterogeneity-driven mechanical transitions. Among all formulations, 0.5 wt% CNTs provided the most pronounced static mechanical enhancement, increasing tensile strength to 419.50 MPa (≈21% improvement over the reference GF laminate) and flexural strength to 230.23 MPa (≈26% increase). In contrast, impact performance exhibited a non-monotonic evolution; the highest absorbed energy (9.64 J) was observed at 2 wt% CNTs, indicating that dynamic energy dissipation mechanisms do not necessarily scale proportionally with static strength gains. Oxide-filled systems demonstrated stiffness-dominated behavior, where increasing filler content amplified elastic mismatch and progressively reduced strength despite modulus enhancement. Finite element simulations conducted in ANSYS LS-DYNA (MAT_022) reproduced global stiffness trends within the dispersion-controlled regime. Tensile strength predictions agreed within 0-9% at optimal CNT loading, whereas larger deviations (up to ~33%) emerged under bending-dominated loading in oxide-rich systems, reflecting amplified sensitivity to microstructural heterogeneity. The coupled evolution of stiffness-strength decoupling (SSDI) and FEM deviation (η) enabled identification of a Composite Heterogeneity Threshold (CHT), defined as the nanoparticle concentration beyond which stiffness enhancement no longer translates into proportional strength or toughness improvement. Beyond this threshold, dispersion-induced heterogeneity not only reduces mechanical efficiency but also marks the boundary of homogenized continuum model adequacy across static and dynamic loading conditions.

Source: Nanomaterials

DOI: 10.3390/nano16070408

Authors: Batuhan Çetin, Lütfiye Dahil

Institution: Istanbul Aydın University

Language: English

Topic: Mechanical Behavior of Composites

Subfield: Mechanics of Materials

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896