The Mesophase Concept in Composites

II Introduction.- III Models for Composite Materials.- III.1 General Aspects.- III.2 The Three-Layer Model for Particulates.- III.3 The Three-Cylinder Model for Short Fibres.- III.4 The Unfolding Models for Particulates.- III.5 The Unfolding Models for Fiber-Reinforced Composites.- IV Retardation Spectra of Composites Indicating the Existence of a Mesophase.- V Static and Dynamic Properties of Composites as Influenced by the Mesophase.- V.1 Static and Dynamic Moduli in Fiber Composites.- V.2 Influence of the Mesophase on the Loss Tangent of Fiber Composites.- V.3 Dynamic Properties of Particulates.- V.4 Mechanical Properties of Particulates.- V.5 Evaluation of Static and Dynamic Moduli in Particulates.- VI The Influence of the Mesophase on the Thermal Behavior of Composites.- VI.1 Thermal Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Composites.- VI.2 Thermal Properties of Particulates and Volume-Fraction of the Mesophase.- VII The Glas Transition of Composites and Influence of the Mesophase.- VII.1 Variation of the Glass-Transition Temperature with Direction of Fibers in Composites.- VII.2 Influence of the Mesophase on the Glass Transition of Particulates.- VIII Mechanisms of Moisture Absorption in Composites.- IX Shrinkage Stress at the Mesophase Developed During Casting.- IX.1 Shrinkage Stress in Fiber-Reinforced Composites.- IX.2 Shrinkage Stress in Particulates.- IX.3 Shrinkage Stress Distribution Along a Fiber.- X Stress Singularities at the Mesophase due to the Geometry of Inclusions.- X.l General Aspects.- X.2 Effect of Singularities at the Extremities of Fibers.- X.3 Effect of Stress Raisers.- XI Stress Singularities in Cracked Phases.- XI.1 Order of Singularities at the Apices of Multiwedges.- XI.2 The Optical Method of Caustics for the Study of Singularities.- XI.3 Singularities at Crack Tips of General Curvilinear Interfaces.- References.- Author Index.