SILICONE MICROSPHERE FILLED SYNTACTIC FOAM

Abstract

Highly damage tolerant hybrid syntactic foams are developed by using polydimethylesiloxane (PDMS) particles to modify the matrix microstructure in syntactic foams. Two different types of glass hollow particles (microballoons) with different densities are used to fabricate the foam samples. In this study, the effect of PDMS particle size (45μm, -200μm) at different volume fractions (3%, 5%, 7%and 10%) is being studied. First the volume content of filler is being optimized. The total volume of fillers is maintained at 40% in plain and hybrid syntactic foams. The plain and hybrid syntactic foams are characterized for mechanical properties. An increase in toughness is observed with the incorporation of PDMS in syntactic foams. The strength of micro balloons plays an important role in determining the fracture mode of plain and hybrid syntactic foams. Silicon microspheres are found to increase the energy absorption under the flexural loading conditions.