Towards polymer composite reinforced by electrically charged nanoparticles

Abstract The article is aimed to engineer strength and elastic modulus of a polymer composite material embedded with electrically charged silica nanoparticles. Ultraviolet radiation was in use to induct an electrical charge at surfaces of the nanoparticles. The specimens were tested under mechanical loading (tensile test). An electron emission by the loaded material surface was detected to indicate beginning of material destruction. The electrically charged nanoparticles embedded into the polymer composite material were able to control its strength and elastic module. An early destruction of the polymer composite (as it was identified because of the electron emission) appeared at ~0.018 of relative elongation, in an elastic deformation range.