Behavior of Polystyrene-Based Nano- and Microcomposites under Fast Compression

Composites based on polystyrene (PS) and core-shell hybrid nanoparticles of molecular silica sol are studied during fast compression. At a certain critical pressure, PS and the related composites are found to fail instantaneously. This process is accompanied by the emission of electromagnetic and acoustic waves. The sample composition and the filler particle size change both the critical pressure during explosion and the frequency characteristics of the appearing electromagnetic and acoustic waves. The fracture of PS and the related composites is accompanied by the formation of a fibrillar structure.