A Computational Homogenization Framework for Predicting Properties from Multifield Processing Conditions in Polymer Matrix Particle Composites

Abstract This work characterizes the processing–structure–property relationship of field-processed particle polymer matrix composites. Electric and magnetic fields coerce particles to form structures that drive effective properties, which are locked in once the matrix material is cured or solidified. In combination with additive manufacturing, field-processed composites allow for tuning of local properties throughout a printed component. Effectively designing with these materials requires an understanding of the effects of the processing on the bulk material properties. This work introduces a framework to determine the resulting structures formed with applied fields, demonstrated with 5 base cases (no applied field, electric field only, magnetic field only, electric and magnetic field perpendicular, and electric and magnetic field parallel). The conditions are modeled using a representative volume element (RVE) and particle dynamics simulations in MATLAB. Resulting structures are then homogenized using COMSOL Multiphysics to predict effective properties. Simulations are conducted for 1, 5, and 10% volume fraction and compared with experimental values for composites with 5 and 15 wt% particle content. This work demonstrates that structures formed by applied fields can be predicted with particle dynamics simulations and that, in conjunction with homogenization, effective properties can be predicted for field-processed particle composites.