%0 doctoral thesis
%@ 
%A Hablitzel, M.

%D 2022
%J 

 
%R doi:10.15480/882.4110
%T On the factors impacting the mechanical response of nanoporous gold-polymer composites
%U https://doi.org/10.15480/882.4110
 
%X The findings from the investigations on the isolated factors improved the interpretation of the composite mechanical response. No evidence of a structural length-scale effect in the polymer was found, and the response of the isolated polymer phase could be well predicted by an isostrain law applied to the properties measured on the bulk polymer. Furthermore, no evidence supporting the presence of an interlayer was found between the gold and epoxy phases. The measurement of the interfacial strength showed that the interface in NPG-epoxy composite is the weakest link in the composite's deformation, which was also observed in the simulations. The isolated effect of the interfacial properties was attenuated in the composite by the interconnected structure, which in compression allows the load transfer even after interface failure