Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis

Abstract The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a non-contact technique that analyses a sequence of images providing full field measurement of displacements and strains over time. The DIC experimental set-up requires a speckle pattern. In this work a new epoxy-based nanocomposite, containing TiO2 na...

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Main Authors: Michele Perrella, Aurelio Bifulco, Antonio Aronne, Claudio Imparato, Immacolata Climaco, Mattia Bartoli, Matteo Bruno, Gabriele Cricrì, Enrico Armentani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89963-5
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author Michele Perrella
Aurelio Bifulco
Antonio Aronne
Claudio Imparato
Immacolata Climaco
Mattia Bartoli
Matteo Bruno
Gabriele Cricrì
Enrico Armentani
author_facet Michele Perrella
Aurelio Bifulco
Antonio Aronne
Claudio Imparato
Immacolata Climaco
Mattia Bartoli
Matteo Bruno
Gabriele Cricrì
Enrico Armentani
author_sort Michele Perrella
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a non-contact technique that analyses a sequence of images providing full field measurement of displacements and strains over time. The DIC experimental set-up requires a speckle pattern. In this work a new epoxy-based nanocomposite, containing TiO2 nanoparticles and coffee-derived biochar fillers, was developed to obtain an ecofriendly flame-retardant material with suitable mechanical and optical properties for its use as speckle pattern for DIC applications. The optimized formulation is characterized by a uniform distribution of TiO2 and biochar particles and can be employed as self-standing material during the manufacturing of composite reinforcements. The physicochemical properties, mechanical behaviour and fire performances of the nanocomposite are described. The incorporation of the additives in the epoxy resin increases the Young’s modulus by around 30% and almost doubles the burn-through time with respect to pristine resin, suggesting a slight condensed phase mechanism arising from the synergistic action of TiO2 and biochar. The effectiveness for creating DIC speckle patterns is validated by comparing the experimental strains measured by means of DIC analysis with those obtained through a traditional technique. Finally, the durability of the speckle patterns was assessed by accelerated thermal aging tests, confirming the potential application of the material in structural health monitoring of composite structures.
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spelling doaj-art-b64a0191b83c4ecc9a1839bb098a9d052025-08-20T03:04:01ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-89963-5Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysisMichele Perrella0Aurelio Bifulco1Antonio Aronne2Claudio Imparato3Immacolata Climaco4Mattia Bartoli5Matteo Bruno6Gabriele Cricrì7Enrico Armentani8Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIDepartment of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIDepartment of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIDepartment of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIDepartment of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IICenter for Sustainable Future Technologies—CSFT@POLITODepartment of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIDepartment of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico IIAbstract The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a non-contact technique that analyses a sequence of images providing full field measurement of displacements and strains over time. The DIC experimental set-up requires a speckle pattern. In this work a new epoxy-based nanocomposite, containing TiO2 nanoparticles and coffee-derived biochar fillers, was developed to obtain an ecofriendly flame-retardant material with suitable mechanical and optical properties for its use as speckle pattern for DIC applications. The optimized formulation is characterized by a uniform distribution of TiO2 and biochar particles and can be employed as self-standing material during the manufacturing of composite reinforcements. The physicochemical properties, mechanical behaviour and fire performances of the nanocomposite are described. The incorporation of the additives in the epoxy resin increases the Young’s modulus by around 30% and almost doubles the burn-through time with respect to pristine resin, suggesting a slight condensed phase mechanism arising from the synergistic action of TiO2 and biochar. The effectiveness for creating DIC speckle patterns is validated by comparing the experimental strains measured by means of DIC analysis with those obtained through a traditional technique. Finally, the durability of the speckle patterns was assessed by accelerated thermal aging tests, confirming the potential application of the material in structural health monitoring of composite structures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89963-5Epoxy resin nanocompositeDigital image correlationExperimental mechanicsSpeckle patternCoffee biocharFlammability
spellingShingle Michele Perrella
Aurelio Bifulco
Antonio Aronne
Claudio Imparato
Immacolata Climaco
Mattia Bartoli
Matteo Bruno
Gabriele Cricrì
Enrico Armentani
Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
Scientific Reports
Epoxy resin nanocomposite
Digital image correlation
Experimental mechanics
Speckle pattern
Coffee biochar
Flammability
title Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
title_full Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
title_fullStr Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
title_full_unstemmed Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
title_short Epoxy-based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
title_sort epoxy based nanocomposites containing sustainable fillers for the realization of speckle patterns for digital image correlation analysis
topic Epoxy resin nanocomposite
Digital image correlation
Experimental mechanics
Speckle pattern
Coffee biochar
Flammability
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89963-5
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