Compressive Strength of Composite Ice Containing Cellulose Nanoparticles at Different Strain Rates and Temperatures

This study demonstrated that the introduction of 1 wt % cellulose nanoparticles into freshwater ice shifts the transition from the ductile to brittle fracture regime toward higher relative strain rates. With a decrease in temperature from –15 to –45°C, the compressive strength of such composite ice increases from 24.6 ± 1.7 to 34.6 ± 1.5 MPa, with its maximum value always achieved at $$\dot {\varepsilon }$$ = 10–2 s–1, when the material undergoes brittle fracture.