Mechanical and real microstructure behavior analysis of particulate-reinforced nanocomposite considering debonding damage based on cohesive finite element method

In this paper, a cohesive finite element method is proposed to characterize reinforcement/matrix interface and debonding phenomena occurring, a modeling approach closely related to the real microstructure of the particulate-reinforced nanocomposite. The cohesive zone modeling has been adopted to capture the nanofillers debonding. The interfacial properties were described by varying the values of cohesive strength and cohesive energy of interface. When the debonding damage starts to occur, the stress–strain curve for the damaged nanocomposite deviate to lower stress from those for the perfect composite. The void initiation and growth or decohesion between the reinforcements and matrix takes place at higher strained region. The strain localization zone is highly potential sites for void initiation. These potential particle sites are located in the joint of shear bands together. The influence of the interfacial parameters on void initiation and debonding damage is discussed using the proposed numerical method. by increasing cohesive energy and cohesive strength, the interfacial debonding would become more difficult to occur and there is a threshold value for cohesive energy that if it is larger than this critical value at interface, the debonding between particles and matrix does not occur.