  In this study, the deformation of nylon6/silica nanocomposite is investigated
by employing a multiscale computational approach to understand the influence of
nanoparticles. Initially, the upper and lower bounds for the elastic properties
of a combination of crystalline and amorphous lamella are predicted via Voigt
and Reuss model. Subsequently, these results are used in an FEM model for RVEs
representing the multi-spherulitic structure of nylon6 and a silica/nylon6
nanocomposite. Each spherulite in these models has directional mechanical
properties defined by spherical coordinates. Simulation of deformation applied
in orthogonal directions and the mechanical response of the pure polymer and
nanocomposite are examined. The results show that spherical nanoparticles have
a smaller potential for enhancement of mechanical response compared to
nanoparticles of other shapes.
