Abstract
Tensile stress-strain behavior of polystyrene-acrylonitrile copolymer composites with plane oriented planar reinforcement (mica and glass flake) is discussed in terms of flake aspect ratio, flake diameter and volume fraction of flakes. The tensile modulus of elasticity, the tensile strength and the tensile strain at breaking of the composites were theoretically calculated utilizing a virtual work analysis of the over lap joint and the results were compared to the experimental values. Good agreements were obtained between the experimental data and the theoretical predictions. The flakes with high aspect ratio and small diameter are suitable for a high degree of reinforcement to the brittle plastics.
