Study of interfaces of high-performance glass fibers and DGEBA-based epoxy resins using single-fiber-composite test

The single-fiber-composite (SFC) technique was used to study the interfacial behavior between two flexible blends of diglycidylether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)-based epoxy and polyglycol epoxide and three glass fibers. Dog-bone-shaped SFC specimens were made and strained to obtain a distribution of fragment lengths. The fibers were tension-tested at two different gauge lengths. The fragment length distributions, the fiber strength data, and a Monte Carlo simulation of a Poisson/Weibull model for fiber strength and flaws were used to obtain the effective interfacial shear strength values. The results show that the interface does not fail. Instead, penny-shaped transverse cracks appear at every fiber break and grow as the specimen is strained. The interfacial shear strength values are many times higher than the yield shear strength values of bulk epoxy obtained from the tension test.     

Effect of Halloysite Nanotube Incorporation in Epoxy Resin and Carbon Fiber Ethylene/Ammonia Plasma Treatment on Their Interfacial Property

Abstract

Effects of halloysite nanotube (HNT) loading of up to 2% in epoxy resin on its mechanical properties were characterized. The interfacial property of the resin with carbon fiber nanocomposite was also studied. Single fiber composite (SFC) technique was used to characterize the carbon fiber/epoxy resin interfacial shear stress. Carbon fibers were also coated with ammonia/ethylene plasma polymer to obtain a thin coating of the polymer with amine groups that could react with the epoxy and thus improve the interfacial property. The results indicated that the Young’s modulus of HNT containing nanocomposites increased slightly up to a loading of 0.25% after which it started to decrease. The tensile strength, however, steadily decreased with increasing of HNT loading although the fracture strain did not change significantly. This might be related to the nanotube shape, size and clustering. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) was also increased slightly with HNT loading. The ethylene/ammonia plasma polymer coated fibers exhibited significantly higher IFSS by over 150%, independent of the HNT loading. The highest IFSS obtained was almost 79 MPa for plasma treated fibers. The results suggest that the carbon fiber/epoxy interface is not affected by the incorporation of up to 1.5% of HNT. Furthermore, the fiber surface modification through plasma polymerization is an effective method to improve and control the IFSS.     

Interfacial shear strength studies of nicalon fibers in epoxy matrix using single fiber composite test

Interfacial properties of Nicalon (SiC) fiber in epoxy matrices of varying stiffnesses were studied using the single fiber composite test, in conjunction with stress birefringence patterns. Extensive debonding was observed with hard epoxies, but transverse matrix cracks were found in the more flexible epoxies, with the interface remaining intact. Micromechanical modeling and Monte Carlo simulation of the single fiber composite fragmentation process provided a basis to compute the interfacial shear stress from the final fragmentation length distribution. The interfacial shear stress appeared to decrease moderately with increasing matrix ductility. The large diameter Nicalon fibers create transverse cracks in the single fiber composite specimens made with flexible epoxies. Consequently, there is a high possibility of premature failure of the specimen before fiber break saturation is reached. This poses some difficulty in interpreting the results for flexible epoxies. It was also found that the interfacial shear stress values from the single fiber composite tests were always considerably higher than the ultimate shear stress values obtained from bulk epoxy (without fiber) tension tests. This effect is similar to what was seen earlier for single fiber composite tests based on graphite fibers and similar epoxy blends, though the difference between the two values was not as great.     

Effect of surfactant treatments on interfacial adhesion in single graphite/epoxy composites

Interfacial adhesion between graphite fibers and epoxy matrices is one of the important parameters in controlling composite performance. Experiments were performed to verify the idea that polymerizable and nonpolymerizable nonionic surfactants can promote wetting and increase interfacial shear strength. Using a single-fiber-composite (SFC) technique with a Poisson/Weibull model of fiber strength and flaws, the effective interfacial shear strength (ISS) was determined. The effect of surfactant treatments on interfacial adhesion in single graphite/epoxy composites was also compared with the effects of treatment with deionized water, absolute alcohol, and acetone. The experimental results showed that the fibers treated with the nonpolymerizable surfactant gained 37% in interfacial shear strength relative to those untreated or those treated with deionized water, absolute alcohol, or acetone. The polymerizable surfactants showed a 10% increase in interfacial shear strength. The lognormal distribution provided the best fit for critical aspect ratios obtained from the SFC tests.     

Surface ammonification of the mutual‐irradiated aramid fibers in 1,4‐dichlorobutane for improving interfacial properties with epoxy resin

The mutual irradiated aramid fibers in 1,4‐dichlorobutane was ammoniated by ammonia/alcohol solution, in an attempt to improve the interfacial properties between aramid fibers and epoxy matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), dynamic contact angle analysis (DCA), interfacial shear strength (IFSS), and single fiber tensile testing were carried out to investigate the functionalization process of aramid fibers and the interfacial properties of the composites. Experimental results showed that the fiber surface elements content changed obviously as well as the roughness through the radiation and chemical reaction. The surface energy and IFSS of aramid fibers increased distinctly after the ammonification, respectively. The amino groups generated by ammonification enhanced the interfacial adhesion of composites effectively by participating in the epoxy resin curing. Moreover, benefited by the appropriate radiation, the tensile strength of aramid fibers was not affected at all. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44924.     

Evaluation of interfacial properties and microfailure mechanisms in single fiber‐reinforced epoxy composites at low temperature

In this preliminary study, micromechanical techniques were used to compare the interfacial properties of both carbon and glass fiber composites with two structurally different epoxy matrices (YD‐114 and YDF‐175) at ambient and relatively low temperatures (25°C and −10°C). Tensile modulus of elasticity for both epoxies was higher at lower temperature. Although both fibers exhibited more bimodality at lower temperature than at ambient temperature, glass fiber composites exhibited a statistically greater improvement in tensile strength. This may be attributed to differences in inherent flaws and rigidity. A decrement in stress was observed for YDF‐175 epoxy composites under cyclic loadings at both temperatures, which was attributed to lower interfacial shear strength (IFSS). In contrast to the IFSS of conventional YD‐114 epoxy composites, the IFSS of both the carbon and glass fibers/YDF‐175 epoxy composites studied was higher at the lower temperature. The microfailure pattern observed in microdroplet pullout tests was consistent with the other IFSS results. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The effect of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles and ammonia/ethylene plasma treatment on the interfacial and mechanical properties of carbon-fiber-reinforced epoxy composites

A nanoparticle dispersion is known to enhance the mechanical properties of a variety of polymers and resins. In this work, the effects of silica (SiO₂) nanoparticle loading (0–2 wt%) and ammonia/ethylene plasma-treated fibers on the interfacial and mechanical properties of carbon fiber–epoxy composites were characterized. Single fiber composite (SFC) tests were performed to determine the fiber/resin interfacial shear strength (IFSS). Tensile tests on pure epoxy resin specimens were also performed to quantify mechanical property changes with silica content. The results indicated that up to 2% SiO₂ nanoparticle loading had only a little effect on the mechanical properties. For untreated fibers, the IFSS was comparable for all epoxy resins. With ethylene/ammonia plasma treated fibers, specimens exhibited a substantial increase in IFSS by 2 to 3 times, independent of SiO₂ loading. The highest IFSS value obtained was 146 MPa for plasma-treated fibers. Interaction between the fiber sizing and plasma treatment may be a critical factor in this IFSS increase. The results suggest that the fiber/epoxy interface is not affected by the incorporation of up to 2% SiO₂ nanoparticles. Furthermore, the fiber surface modification through plasma treatment is an effective method to improve and control adhesion between fiber and resin.     

Interlaminar shear properties of graphite fiber,high-performance resin composites

Shear properties of laminates consisting of graphite fiber (Celion 6000, Celion 3000, and T-300) and several resins (epoxy, hot melt-bismaleimide, solvent bismaleimide, polyimide, and polystyrylpyridine (PSP)) were measured using the short-beam test. The interlaminar shear strength of epoxy composites was hightest. All other resin composites showed considerably lower shear properties. The shear strengths deereased with temperature, with the loss up to 100°C being more pronounced. The PSP composites did not show a loss in strength in the temperature range investigated (room temperature to 250°C). Boiling the composite samples in water for 24 h resuled in negligible reduction in shear strength in all cases. The interlaminar shear properties depended on the fiberresin interfacial bond, the wetting characteristics of the resin, and the resin meechanical properties. Attempts were made to determine to what extent each of these factors controlled the shear properties of the composites studies. Thus, the interfacial bond between the resin and the single fiber was determined. Results showed that the lower shear strength of polyimide, bisimides and PSP composites, as compared to epoxy resin composites, seemed to be due to their corresponding low interfacial bond strengths. The subsequent decrease in shear strength with temperature appeared to be directly correlated to the decrease in bond strength. The wettability of carbon fiber tow with all these resins was also determined. The small variations in wetting characteristics of the resin did not seem to justify the rather large differences in shear-strength properties observed.     

Interfacial studies on the surface modified aramid fiber reinforced epoxy composites

In this work, solutions of rare earth modifier (RES) and epoxy chloropropane (ECP) grafting modification method were used for the surface treatment of aramid fiber. The effect of chemical treatment on aramid fiber has been studied in a composite system. The surface characteristics of aramid fibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The interfacial properties of aramid/epoxy composites were investigated by means of the single fiber pull‐out tests. The mechanical properties of the aramid/epoxy composites were studied by interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). As a result, it was found that RES surface treatment is superior to ECP grafting treatment in promoting the interfacial adhesion between aramid fiber and epoxy matrix, resulting in the improved mechanical properties of the composites. Meanwhile, the tensile strengths of single fibers were almost not affected by RES treatment. This was probably due to the presence of reactive functional groups on the aramid fiber surface, leading to an increment of interfacial binding force between fibers and matrix in a composite system. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102:4165–4170, 2006     

Physical and mechanical properties of kenaf/flax hybrid composites

This research investigates the physical and mechanical properties of hybrid composites made of epoxy reinforced by kenaf and flax natural fibers to investigate the hybridization influences of the composites. Pure and hybrid composites were fabricated using bi-directional kenaf and flax fabrics at different stacking sequences utilizing the vacuum-assisted resin infusion method. The pure and hybrid composites' physical properties, such as density, fiber volume fraction (FVF), water absorption capacity, and dimensional stability, were measured. The tests of tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear and fracture toughness (Mode II) were examined to determine the mechanical properties. The results revealed that density remained unchanged for the hybrid compared to pure kenaf/epoxy composites. The tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear performance of flax/epoxy composite is improved by an increment of kenaf FVF in hybrid composites. The stacking sequence significantly affected the mechanical properties of hybrid composites. The highest tensile strength (59.8 MPa) was obtained for FK2 (alternative sequence of flax and kenaf fibers). However, FK3 (flax fiber located on the outer surfaces) had the highest interlaminar shear strength (12.5 MPa) and fracture toughness (3302.3 J/m²) among all tested hybrid composites. The highest water resistance was achieved for FK5 with the lowest thickness swelling.     

Interfacial Characteristics of Sisal Fiber and Polymeric Matrices

Sisal-fiber-reinforced composites, as a class of eco-composites, have attracted much attention from materials scientists and engineers in recent years. In this article, the effects of fiber surface treatment on fiber tensile strength and fiber-matrix interface characteristics were determined by using tensile and single fiber pullout tests, respectively. The short beam shear test was also employed to evaluate the interlaminar shear strength of the composite laminates. Vinyl ester, epoxy, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were chosen as matrix materials. To enhance the interfacial strength, two kinds of fiber surface-treatment methods, namely, chemical bonding and oxidisation, were used. The results obtained showed that different fiber surface-treatment methods produced different effects on the tensile strength of the sisal fiber and fiber-matrix interfacial bonding characteristics. Hence, valuable information on the interface design of sisal fiber–polymer matrix composites can be obtained from this study.     

Interfacial Characteristics of Sisal Fiber and Polymeric Matrices

Sisal-fiber-reinforced composites, as a class of eco-composites, have attracted much attention from materials scientists and engineers in recent years. In this article, the effects of fiber surface treatment on fiber tensile strength and fiber-matrix interface characteristics were determined by using tensile and single fiber pullout tests, respectively. The short beam shear test was also employed to evaluate the interlaminar shear strength of the composite laminates. Vinyl ester, epoxy, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were chosen as matrix materials. To enhance the interfacial strength, two kinds of fiber surface-treatment methods, namely, chemical bonding and oxidisation, were used. The results obtained showed that different fiber surface-treatment methods produced different effects on the tensile strength of the sisal fiber and fiber-matrix interfacial bonding characteristics. Hence, valuable information on the interface design of sisal fiber-polymer matrix composites can be obtained from this study.     

Effect of molecular weight and content of PDMS on morphology and properties of silicone‐modified epoxy resin

To achieve a stable blend of a bisphenol A type epoxy resin and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), reaction between hydroxyl (OH) groups of the epoxy and silanol groups of hydroxyl‐terminated(HT) PDMS has been investigated. The chemical structures of the HTPDMS‐modified epoxies were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy. To allow further understanding of the influence of viscosity and content of HTPDMS on the blend morphology, four different viscosities of HTPDMS were used in three content levels. The morphologies of modified epoxy resins were observed with optical microscopy. The modified epoxies were cured with a cycloaliphatic polyamine. The morphologies of modified epoxies were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) technique. The cured films showed droplet in matrix morphology with different mean droplets size which was influenced by the viscosity and the content of the incorporated HTPDMS. To illustrate the effect of the morphologies of the cured samples on mechanical properties, tensile strength tests were performed. The introduction of HTPDMS into the epoxy altered the tensile behavior according to its viscosity and content. Surface properties of the cured films were evaluated by sessile drop method. The results clearly indicate that the hydrophilic surface of the epoxy turns to a hydrophobic one due to the modification with HTPDMS. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011.     

Interfacial shear strength studies using the single-filament-composite test. I: Experiments on graphite fibers in epoxy

The failure of the interface in a carbon fiber-epoxy system was studied for six different epoxy blends using the single-filament-composite technique. The blends were formulated to yield a wide range of stiffnesses, and their effect on interfacial failure was examined. Specimens were made from Hercules IM6-G carbon fiber and the different blends of epoxy, and then strained to obtain a distribution of fiber fragment lengths. Birefringence patterns near the fiber breaks were observed and recorded. Some of the specimens were strained until they failed and the resulting fracture surfaces were observed under a scanning electron microscope to determine fracture patterns and the existence of debonding. The fragment length distributions were interpreted using a Monte-Carlo simulation of a Poisson/Weibull model for fiber strength and flaw occurrence. The results were used to calculate an effective interfacial shear strength. From this analysis we conclude that one cannot accurately predict the interfacial properties of a composite based solely upon conventional single fiber and bulk matrix properties. Local matrix properties and fiber/matrix interactions, on a microscale, play a key role in composite strength.     

Improvement of the mechanical properties of an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber/epoxy composite by corona‐discharge treatment

The interfacial shear strength of an ultrahigh molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene (PE) fiber/epoxy‐resin system was greatly improved by the corona‐discharge treatment of the fiber. The UHMW PE‐fiber/epoxy‐resin composite was prepared with corona‐discharge‐treated UHMW PE fiber. The mechanical properties of the composite sheet were determined by tensile testing. The tensile strength of the composite was also very much improved. However, the tensile strength of the composite was about one‐half of the theoretical strength. This result was due to the molecular degradation of the PE‐fiber surface caused by surface modification. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 1162–1168, 2001     

Relationship Between Some Mechanical Strengths of CFRP and Interfacial Properties

The relationships between microscopic properties such as interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and macroscopic properties such as flexural strength were investigated for CFRP prepared from carbon fiber and epoxy resin. Flexural, tensile and impact strengths all went through maximum values when plotted against the surface treatment time of the carbon fiber. The flexural strength of CFRP as a function of the treatment time of the carbon fiber behaved similarly to the adhesive strength of the resin and carbon fiber. Also, the results indicated that the bahavior of tensile and impact strengths varied with the treatment time in much the same way as the interfacial shear strength did. The occurrence of these two types of macroscopic and microscopic property effects can be understood by taking into account the chemical activity and roughness of the carbon fiber surface.     

The relationship between zeta-potential and pull-out shear strength on modified UHMWPE fiber reinforced epoxy composites

UHMWPE fiber exhibits high performance, featuring high tensile strength and modulus, because of its extended chain structure. However, this fiber demonstrates some defects, such as low melting point, creep, and poor interfacial bonding with resin. Therefore, it is still not widely applied in composites. This research attempted to improve the performance by applying interfacial treatment to the fiber, using polypyrrole (PPy) synthesized through oxidation. The interfacial shear strength was evaluated using the results of a pull-out test and a Zeta Potential. The UHMWPE fiber was exposed to PPy treatment at various temperatures. The PPy-modified fiber was then impregnated with epoxy to generate the composites. The effects of the modification were also examined. The performance of the composites was determined by the Zeta Potentials of the fiber and resin, using an EKA electrokinetic analyzer. The interfacial shear strength was determined by the pull-out test. The morphology of fiber was observed by SEM. Results show that the shear strength of the interface between the PPy-treated UHMWPE fiber and epoxy increased 215%. The correlation between the Zeta Potential and the interfacial shear strength was also observed.     

The effective interfacial shear strength of carbon nanotube fibers in an epoxy matrix characterized by a microdroplet test

The tensile properties of continuous carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers spun from a CNT carpet consisting of mainly double- and triple-walled tubes, and their interfacial properties in an epoxy matrix, are investigated by single fiber tensile tests and microdroplet tests, respectively. The average CNT fiber strength, modulus and strain to failure are 1.2 ± 0.3 GPa, 43.3 ± 7.4 GPa and 2.7 ± 0.5%, respectively. A detailed study of strength distribution of CNT fiber has been carried out. Statistical analysis shows that the CNT fiber strength is less scattered than those of MWCNTs as well as commercial carbon and glass fibers without surface treatment. The effective CNT fiber/epoxy interfacial shear strength is 14.4 MPa. Unlike traditional fiber-reinforced composites, the interfacial shear sliding occurs along the interface between regions with and without resin infiltration in the CNT fiber. Guidelines for microdroplet experiments are established through probability analysis of variables basic to specimen design.     

纳米SiO2改性EP对基体力学性能和芳纶纤维/EP复合材料界面性能的影响

研究了纳米SiO2对环氧树脂(EP)基体力学性能的影响,并进一步采用对位芳纶纤维(F-12)增强环氧树脂,制备了NOL环复合材料,通过复合材料层间剪切性能测试考核了F-12与环氧树脂之间的界面粘接性能.结果表明:环氧树脂中添加适量的纳米SiO2能够有效提高环氧树脂浇注体的拉伸强度、拉伸弹性模量、冲击强度.纳米SiO2的加入,可以有效改善F-12与环氧树脂基体之间的界面粘接性能,降低复合材料的空隙率,F-12/纳米SiO2(6%)-EP复合材料的层间剪切强度(ILSS)提高约60.3%.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Surface modification of aramid fibers with novel chemical approach

Friedel–Crafts Reaction as a simple and convenient approach to the surface modification of aramid fiber was introduced in this paper. Epoxy chloropropane was chosen as the treatment reagent to modify aramid fibers surface via Graft reaction. After the modification, the interfacial properties of aramid/epoxy composites were investigated by the single fiber pull-out test (SFP), and the mechanical properties of aramid fibers were investigated by the tensile strength test. The results showed that the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) value of aramid/epoxy composites was enhanced by about 50%, and the tensile strength of aramid fibers had no obvious damage. The crystalline state of aramid fibers was determined by X-ray diffraction instrument (XRD), and the results showed that there were not any distinct crystal type varieties. The surface elements of aramid fibers were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the analysis of which showed that the oxygen/carbon ratio of aramid fiber surface increased obviously. The possible changes of the chemical structure of aramid fibers were investigated via Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR), and the analysis of which showed that the epoxy functional groups were grafted into the molecule structure of aramid fibers. The surface morphology of aramid fibers was analyzed by Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the SEM results showed that the physical structure of aramid fibers was not etched or damaged obviously. The surface energy of aramid fibers was investigated via the dynamic capillary method, and the results showed that the surface energy was enhanced by 31.5%, and then the wettability degree of aramid fiber surface was enhanced obviously too. All of the results indicated that this novel chemical modification approach not only can improve the interfacial bonding strength of aramid/epoxy composites remarkably, but also have no negative influence on the intrinsic tensile strength of aramid fibers.