A unified scheme for prediction of effective moduli of multiphase composites with interface effects: Part II - Application and scaling laws

In this part, first, the detailed expressions for the effective moduli of multiphase composites containing spherical particles or fibres are presented following the theoretical framework developed in Part I. Second, the effect of the interfacial bonding conditions on the effective moduli of these composites are examined. It is shown that the imperfect bonding condition can considerably affect the effective moduli of the composites. Third, as the effective moduli of the composites with the considered linear-spring and interface stress effects become dependent upon the size of the particles or fibres, two simple scaling laws are derived to depict the size-dependence. It is shown that whilst the interface effects simulated by the two interface models are opposite from a physical point of view, the scaling laws for them are formally reciprocal from a mathematical one. (C) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.