Papers by Author: Yutaka Kagawa

Abstract: The polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based and pitch-based carbon fiber-reinforced nanoparticle filled polyimide based multiscale hybrid composites have been fabricated using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VaRTM) and autoclave curing. The carbon fibers used in this study were high tensile strength PAN-based (T1000GB) and high modulus pitch-based (K13D) carbon fibers. Fiber orientations of the T1000GB/K13D hybrid composites were set to [0(T1000GB)/0(K13D)]2S (T1000GB and K13D unidirectional layers were alternately and symmetrically laminated). The fiber volume fraction was 50 vol% (T1000GB: 24.9 vol%, K13D: 25.1 vol%). Polyimide used in this study was a commercially available polyimide precursor solution (Skybond 703). Four different types of nanoparticle (25nm-C, 20-30nm-β-SiC, 130nm-β-SiC and 80nm-SiO2) and particle volume fraction was 5.0 vol% used for the inclusion. The tensile properties and fracture behavior of T1000GB/K13D nanoparticle filled and unfilled hybrid composites have been investigated. For 25nm-C, 20-30nm-β-SiC and 80nm-SiO2 nanoparticle filled and unfilled hybrid composites, the tensile stress-strain curves show a complicated shape. By the high modulus pitch-based carbon fiber, the hybrid composites show the high modulus in the initial stage of loading. Subsequently, when the high modulus carbon fiber begin to fail, the high strength fiber would hold the load (strength) and the material continues to endure high load without instantaneous failure.

Abstract: A nano-laminar glass/metal composite was fabricated. Glass flake powder coated with silver was used as the raw material, and was sintered by hotpressing. Samples fabricated in the optimum condition had a dense, laminar microstructure originating from the aligned flake powder. The result of a three-point bending test for the samples suggested that the alignment of the powder was essential for fracture behavior: When the powder was aligned in advance during the green sample fabrication, the sample fractured stably after the maximum load, while the samples fabricated by simple hotpressing of the powder without pre-alignment fractured unstably. Work of fracture of the sample in which the powder was well aligned was measured with chevron notched specimens; a significantly high value of about 300J/mm2 was obtained.

Abstract: Nacre is a natural composite material making up the inner structure of mollusk shells. It has been of great interest in materials research due to its mechanical properties far exceeding that of its individual components: well ordered plates of aragonite (a CaCO3 polymorph) within an organic polymer matrix. Generally the aragonite plates had been treated as single crystals and mechanical behavior explained as the result of micro-scale mechanisms between plates and matrix. However, recent work has shown that the plates themselves are made up of smaller nano-scale structures, which are also thought to contribute to the bulk properties. In this work, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the nano-scale structure of nacre from abalone. “Nanograins” of aragonite surrounded by organic material was observed, showing composite structure within aragonite plates.

Abstract: Hybrid inorganic-organic materials based on a polyimide (PI) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) were prepared previously only via sol-gel approach. However, sol-gel processes have some critical limitations. The primary drawback is that the resultant gel is extremely fragile and sol-gel process is complicated and costly. In this study, using SiO2 nanoparticles polyimide/SiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized from 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether (ODA) and 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA). A coupling agent, 3-glycidyloxyporpl trimethoxysilane (GTMOS), was used to functionalize the SiO2 nanoparticles which enhanced the compatibility between polyimide and SiO2 nanoparticles. The microstructures of polyimide/SiO2 nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). All the polyimides show typical noncrystalline X-ray diffraction. The frequent occurrence of particular interatomic distances (R) denoted by the noncrystalline WAXD maxima were determined. All the modulus, strength and fracture strain of polyimide were improved with 5 wt% SiO2 modified with the coupling agent.

Abstract: The surface nano-deformation behavior in metal matrix composite during tensile loading was investigated by in-situ atomic force microscope (AFM) observation. The composite material used was aluminum matrix reinforced with 10 and 20 percent volume fraction of SiC particles. The average size of the reinforcement was 3 μm. Tensile test and in-situ observations were conducted using a loading device equipped with an AFM. Surface morphologies of the composite specimens were acquired before the loading and at various stages of the loading. The microstructural damage and the evolution of surface roughness were studied. The effect of volume fraction of the reinforcement on the nano-deformation behavior and damage evolution process of the composite based on nanoscale in-situ AFM observation will be discussed.

Abstract: We apply the lattice instability analysis to homogeneously strained single crystal with a flat or defected surface to demonstrate that, in the process of emission of dislocation by an unstable surface, prior to the breaking of atomic bonds, a vibrational mode localizes, foretelling the location and the manner of the impending microscopic catastrophic event.