Dynamic Poisson's ratio: A novel technique to study interfacial adhesion

Abstract

Abstract A novel technique utilizing the dynamic Poisson's ratio to measure the strength of adhesion in fiber‐filled polymeric composites is described. This technique is based on the observation that glass‐filled composites exhibit a large drop in Poisson's ratio as a function of prestrain at very low prestrains. This drop, which indicates additional volume dilation, is interpreted as due to debonding or void formation at the filler‐matrix interface. This interpretation is consistent with the results obtained by using three very different glass surface treatments, with a description of the debonding process using two simplified models and with mechanical properties data. The dynamic Poisson's ratio technique is insensitive to filler orientation and has high resolution, since very small volume changes are reflected as large drops in Poisson's ratio.