Prediction on the young's modulus of short fiber rubber composites

The longitudinal and transverse young's modulus short nylon fiber/natural rubber and neoprene composites were predicted. Based on Halpin-Tsai equation, the average length and orientation factor f_p were introduced into it to consider the effect of short fiber length distribution and orientation on the longitudinal young's modulus of composites. A new way which expressed the effect of orientation on the longitudinal young's modulus by means of f_p modifying ξ_θ was put forward: ξ_θ =Ld^-1 (f_p+1). The results show that the predicted values of longitudinal young's modulus fit the experimental data well. To the prediction of transverse young's modulus of composites, the effect of orientation of short fiber on modulus was considered through ξ=2+Kv_f where K was constant which varied depending on different composites. The result shows that there is a successful prediction on transverse young's modulus of these two kinds of composites.