Environmental Interactions and Fracture in Polymer-Matrix Composites.

This project was concerned with the link between transport and fracture in composite materials with emphasis on degradation of properties on aqueous exposure. The dependence of transport and fracture on volume fraction of a particulate filler was considered in terms of the percolation properties of the connected and unconnected particles. This report describes: validation of the percolation approach; mechanical properties ad effect of water absorption; electrical and gravimetric measurements; and ternary composites with glass and rubber.