Abstract
Effects of particle size and surface treatment on the acoustic emission (AE) characteristics and the tensile strength of epoxy resin filled with spherical silica particles were studied. Four kinds of spherical silica particles having different mean sizes in the range from 6-31 mm were used. The particle content was 70 wt%. In order to improve and decrease the adhesion of the interface between particle and epoxy matrix, particles were treated with silane coupling (A) and silane decoupling (B) agents, respectively. The A- and B-treated particle-filled systems were compared with the untreated particle-filled system. As the particle size increased the tensile strength decreased and AE hits increased. The tensile strength was higher in the order of the A-treated > the untreated > the B-treated systems. Fewer AE hits were generated in both A- and B-treated systems than in the untreated system. Scanning electron microscopic observation of fractured surfaces was carried out to clarify the reason of the above results.
