Viscoelastic response of steel wire and particulate-reinforced polymer under dynamic and creep loading

The metallic mesh in a wire-reinforced polymer could influence the thermo-mechanical behavior of the composite unusually due to thermal properties differences, but no research attention has been given to this potential problem. In this research, therefore, the viscoelastic and creep behaviors of steel wire and glass particulates-reinforced polymer composite were investigated experimentally. The wire was woven into diamond-shaped mesh as skeletal reinforcement in a glass particulates-filled polymer matrix and 40 × 12 × 4.8 mm composite specimens were produced through hand lay-up method. Three-point dynamic mechanical analysis was carried out at 2.5 Hz, 5.0 Hz, and 10 Hz frequencies. At 2.5 Hz, the steel wire caused the glass transition temperature, T_g, of the composites to decrease from 100.6 to 84.45 °C; the addition of glass particulates further decreased the T_g to 82.5 °C at 5% and 80.8 °C at 10% compositions and then increased it to 80.7 °C at 15% and 95.5 °C at 20% compositions. The pattern of change was the same at 5.0 Hz and 10.0 Hz frequencies of oscillation. The results suggest an interplay between the heat conductivity of the composite and the viscoelastic response. The steel wire reduced the instantaneous strain of the composite from about 0.07 to 0.005% and the steady-state strain rate from 7.4 × 10^–5 s⁻¹ to 3.97 × 10^–6 s⁻¹. The effect of steel wire on the viscoelastic behavior of the material dominates that of glass particulates. This research field can be developed further by correlating thermal inhomogeneity in the composite under fluctuating temperature with the nature of dynamic viscoelastic behavior. This research strategy is invaluable for materials development for pipelines and for parts that are subjected to dynamic loading and changing temperatures in service.