Carbon-based reinforcements have been widely reported in improving mechanical properties of polymers. However, still few studies exist on the incorporation of the interphase as a result of the interfacial interactions into analytical prediction tools. To better understand the effect of interfacial interphase, this study compares and correlates the experimental mechanical response of polyester based composites filled with carbon black (CB) with the elastic behavior obtained from the micromechanical models. Mold cast composites of polyester reinforced with 0 wt%–10 wt% of CB were fabricated. To determine the length of cooperative rearranging region (CRR) as a measure of the interphase, thermal studies focusing on the variations in the specific heat capacity or the relaxation strength of the composites around the glass transition temperature (Tg) range were performed using a thermodynamical model. Micromechanical models such as the Halpin-Tsai and Tandon-Weng were used to determine the Young’s modulus with respect to the CB wt% and diameter as well as the interphase thickness and modulus. The results exhibited the sensitivity of the models to the existence of the interphase as a secondary mechanism, which was correlated to the cross-link density and interfacial bonding. The impact results showed the decrease in the impact resistance upon the addition of higher filler loadings ascribed to the destroyed bonding at the interface and CBs agglomeration confirmed by morphological studies. The research results can be further utilized in the explanation of the changes in the elastic response of carbon-based reinforced thermosetting composites emphasizing the key role of interphase.
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