Elastic Modulus of Particulate Composites Using a Multiphase Model

In this paper a theoretical model for the evaluation of the elastic modulus of the particulate composites is presented. The model takes into account the influence of neighbouring spherical inclusions on the stiffness of the composite material consisting of the matrix and filler. A microstructural composite model reproducing the basic cell of the composite at a microscopic scale was transformed to a 4-phase representative volume element in order to apply the classical theory of elasticity to this simplified model of a composite-unit cell. Theoretical results based on this model were compared with experimental results carried out with iron-particle filled epoxy resin composites and also with other theoretical results derived from other works.