On the mechanical properties of alumina–epoxy composites with an interpenetrating network structure

Methods of predicting effective mechanical properties of composites with an interpenetrating network structure are currently not well understood, particularly for cases in which the constituent materials have widely differing properties. Alumina–epoxy composites with an interpenetrating composite structure have been produced via an infiltration process and the elastic properties were measured via the impulse excitation technique. A strong dependence of properties on composition and processing was observed. Properties were compared with several mixing law predictions made using compositional data obtained from microstructural analysis. The effective medium approximation (EMA) was shown to predict properties adequately, whilst others models proved inappropriate.