AUTO-PROCESSING OF VERY FINE-SCALE COMPOSITE-MATERIALS BY CHAOTIC MIXING OF MELTS

A processing technique is presented in which very fine fibres or lamel lae emerge from single or multiple, molten, discrete phase precursors contained within a continuous molten phase as a result of three-dimens ional chaotic mixing. Conditions for chaotic mixing in a previously un investigated cylindrical cavity were established experimentally and nu merically with glycerin as a surrogate fluid. Chaotic mixing was then induced within a similar cavity to produce polymeric composites. Optic al micrographs of the solidified emergent structures are provided and the association between the fine-scale microstructures and the chaotic mixing process is presented. The results suggest opportunities to pro duce a variety of very fine-scale composite structures by alternative means.