Toughening mechanisms responsible for excellent crack resistance in thermoplastic nanofiber reinforced epoxies through in-situ optical and scanning electron microscopy Ghent University
Epoxy is a material of choice for demanding applications thanks to its high chemical stability, stiffness, and strength. Yet, its brittle fracture behavior is an important downside for many sectors. Here, we show that the addition of electrospun thermoplastic nanofibers is a viable toughening strategy to design nanofiber reinforced epoxy materials with excellent toughness. Moreover, the use of transparent film-like specimens allowed in-situ ...