Debonding of particle/matrix interfaces can significantly affect the macroscopic behavior of composite material. We
have used a nonlinear cohesive law for particle/matrix interfaces to study interface debonding and its effect on particulate
composite materials subject to uniaxial tension. The dilute solution shows that, at a fixed particle volume fraction, small
particles lead to hardening behavior of the composite while large particles yield softening behavior. Interface debonding of
large particles is unstable since the interface opening (and sliding) displacement(s) may have a sudden jump as the applied
strain increases, which is called the catastrophic debonding. A simple estimate is given for the critical particle radius that
separates the hardening and softening behavior of the composite.
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