Numerical model of randomly distributed particles generated from the material structure as a quantitative analysis of structure/rheology relationship

Abstract

A numerical model is used to relate particle filler characteristics to flow properties of 50 vol. % polymer based composites. The model allows transformation of material structure to a virtual one, and thus compares structural and rheological behaviour in a quantitative way. The reliability of the method is demonstrated by a close proximity of simulated and experimental (SEM micrographs) structures. The obtained structural functions in terms of the statistical distribution of interparticle distances and the histograms of particle clusters are ordered in the following way: BC10U ≈ BC17S < BC37S < BC55S < BC75H corresponding precisely to the powder particle size distributions as well as flow properties of tested materials.