Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment
School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering
School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering
Thesis Abstract
The nanoscratch behaviour of epoxy-based nanocomposites is studied by using nanoindentation and SEM microscopy. A standard diamond Berkovich indenter is used for scratching and a low load of 1mN, along with a low sliding velocity of 1μms−1 are employed for this purpose. It is shown that with adding nano-silica the nanocomposite’s ability to resist penetration is improved during nanoscratching. The results obtained explain the preferred usage nanocomposites compared to pure epoxy. This research extends current basic knowledge and provides new insights on the nature of nano-scale processes that occur during nanoscratching of polymer nanocomposites.
