Materials Science Forum, Vol.514-516, 1658-1662, 2006
Applications of quantitative image analysis to the description of the morphology of boehmite and their polyurethane nanocomposites
This paper presents the application of stereology methods to the description of morphological properties of nanoboehmite and its nanocomposites. Images of boemithe, fracture and cut surface of composites were obtained using high-resolution electron microscopy technique and atomic force microscopy. Quantitative analysis of the fracture structure images obtained with HRSEM technique, allowed us to explain the mechanism of changes of mechanical and thermal properties of polyurethane nanocomposites, as well as allowed to determine relationships between structure characteristics and properties of examined materials. Quantitative image analysis was also found to be useful in comparative analysis of polyurethane nanocomposites structure and structure of boehmite and products of its modification.