Probing the Effects of Nanoscale Architecture on the Mechanical Properties of Hexagonal Silica/Polymer Composite Thin Films

摘要: We examine the effects of controlling nanoscale architecture on tensile properties honeycomb-structured silica/polymer composite films. The hexagonal films are produced using evaporation-induced self-assembly and uniaxially strained a home-built testing apparatus. Significant differences in yield strain, failure moduli between axes parallel perpendicular to film-deposition direction observed for thinnest examined attributed anisotropy film nanostructure that is further characterized with transmission electron microscopy atomic force microscopy. For properly oriented composites, these have comparable Young's modulus bulk silica but exhibit strains about an order magnitude larger than those seen typical bulk-silica systems. yielding processes explored X-ray diffraction optical by irreversible changes architecture. show tuning can provide control over allowing materials combinations stiffness elasticity unachievable analogous