• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.206-214
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• 2007

The theoretical study is developed for predicting the thermal expansion changes of composites which include complex inclusion, which is used three-dimensional ellipsoid model ($a_1>a_2>a_3$), which has two aspect ratios (the primary aspect ratio, $\rho_{\alpha}=a_1/a_3$ and the secondary aspect ratio, $\rho_{\beta}=a_1/a_2$). We can predict the feature of general thermal expansion factors by theoretical approach of matrix with aligned ellipsoidal inclusion using the Eshelby's equivalent tensor. The coefficients of longitudinal linear thermal expansion ${\alpha}_{11}$ decrease to those of inclusions, ${\alpha}_f$, as both aspect ratios increase. The coefficients of transverse linear thermal expansion of composites ${\alpha}_{33}$ initially increase and show the parabolic corves with maximum values, as the concentrations of filler increase. The coefficient of thermal expansion, ${\alpha}_{22}$ in the transverse direction decreases, as $\rho_{\alpha}$ increases, however, ${\alpha}_{22}$ increases as $\rho_{\beta}$ increases. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion of composites, ${\alpha}_{33}$ in the normal direction increases, as $\rho_{\alpha}$ increases, while ${\alpha}_{33}$ decreases as $\rho_{\beta}$ increases.