Multi-scale analysis of randomly reinforced polyester composites with short phosphate glass fibers: experimental insights and kinematic homogenization modeling

This study investigates the impact of phosphate content on the mechanical strength of polyester composites, specifically those reinforced with randomly distributed short glass phosphate fibers. A comprehensive suite of controlled experiments was undertaken to evaluate the tensile and flexural characteristics of these composites, varying the concentration of phosphate glass fibers within the matrix. This rigorous exploration of mechanical properties has yielded invaluable insights into material behavior. Subsequently, we applied a computer-based finite element analysis simulation approach to elucidate material behavior at a finer scale. Our primary objective was to develop a computational model capable of accurately predicting the response of these composites under uniaxial stretching. Furthermore, we assessed the effectiveness of a specialized simulation technique on phosphate glass fibers, revealing the profound influence of factors such as element arrangement and the size of the analysis area on simulation outcomes. These analyses are grounded in fundamental materials science principles, and our results robustly affirm the close correspondence between our computer model predictions and empirical experimental findings.