Simulation of Particle Size Effect on Dynamic Properties and Fracture of PTFE-W-Al Composites

TL;DR

This paper investigates how particle size affects the dynamic strength and fracture behavior of PTFE-W-Al composites using advanced simulation methods, revealing that finer particles enhance strength through force chain formation.

Contribution

It introduces a simulation approach to analyze the impact of metallic particle size on the dynamic properties of PTFE-based composites, highlighting the role of force chains in strength enhancement.

Findings

Finer metallic particles lead to increased composite strength.

Force chains form under dynamic loading with fine particles.

Finer particles improve strength even at higher porosity.

Abstract

Recent investigations of the dynamic compressive strength of cold isostatically pressed composites of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tungsten (W) and aluminum (Al) powders show significant differences depending on the size of metallic particles. The addition of W increases the density and overall strength of the sample. To investigate relatively large deformations multi-material Eulerian and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian methods, which have the ability to efficiently handle the formation of free surfaces, were used. The calculations indicate that the increased strength of the sample with fine metallic particles is due to the formation of force chains under dynamic loading. This phenomenon occurs even at larger porosity of the PTFE matrix in comparison with samples with larger particle size of W and higher density of the PTFE matrix.