Influence of short bamboo/glass fiber on the thermal, dynamic mechanical and rheological properties of polypropylene hybrid composites

The present article summarizes the development of polypropylene-bamboo/glass fiber reinforced hybrid composites (BGRP) using an intermeshing counter rotating twin screw extruder followed by injection molding. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) has been used as a coupling agent to improve the interfacial interaction between the fibers and matrix. The crystallization and melting behavior were investigated employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates an increase in thermal stability of the matrix polymer with incorporation of bamboo and glass fibers, confirming the effect of hybridization and efficient fiber matrix interfacial adhesion. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed an increase in storage modulus (E′) indicating higher stiffness in case of hybrid composites as compared with untreated composites and virgin matrix. The rheological behavior of the hybrid composites has also been studied using time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle and corresponding viscoelastic master curves have been constructed.     

竹纤维组合形态对竹纤维/聚丙烯复合材料性能的影响

以聚丙烯（PP）为基体,单根竹纤维（SBF）和竹纤维束（BFS）两种形态竹纤维为增强体,采用无纺气流铺装-模压工艺制备了SBF-BFS/PP复合材料。通过力学试验机、SEM、TGA、DSC等对SBF-BFS/PP复合材料的力学性能、微观形貌、热性能等进行表征,研究竹纤维形态配比变化对SBF-BFS/PP复合材料综合性能的影响。结果表明,在纤维总含量不变情况下,SBF在两种形态竹纤维中的含量逐步增加时,SBF-BFS/PP复合材料冲击强度和弹性模量逐步增加; SBF在两种形态竹纤维中质量分数为90wt%时,SBF-BFS/PP复合材料冲击强度和弹性模量比SBF质量分数为10wt%时分别提高了26.46%和38.39%; SEM结果表明,竹纤维与PP基体存在较差界面相容性,竹纤维出现断裂和拔出等现象;热失重结果表明,随着SBF含量的增加,SBF-BFS/PP复合材料的耐热性能并没有明显变化。此外,对SBF-BFS/PP复合材料的耐水性能测试结果表明,由于SBF比表面积大,随SBF含量的增加,SBF-BFS/PP复合材料中易吸水组分增加,从而导致其耐水性能下降。      

Chemical treatment of sisal fiber using alkali and clay method

In this study the chemical treatment of sisal fiber using the combined alkali (NaOH) and clay is discussed. The purpose of this fiber treatment is to improve the fiber–matrix compatibility, interface strength, mechanical, thermal and water barrier properties. The phase change due to chemical treatment of raw sisal fiber was examined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The result shows the presence of about 20 wt.% clays in NaOH–clay treated sisal fiber with 2.6× reduced water uptake and also with improved mechanical and thermal properties. Subsequently the treated and untreated fibers were reinforced in polypropylene (PP) matrix and the mechanical and thermal properties were examined. The result indicates that the fiber–matrix interface strength, adhesion, glass transition temperature and tensile properties of composites were improved in NaOH–clay treated fiber composites.     

Effect of fiber loading on the properties of treated cellulose fiber-reinforced phenolic composites

The effect of fiber loading on the properties of treated cellulose fiber-reinforced phenolic composites was evaluated. Alkali treatment of the fibers and reaction with organosilanes as coupling agents were applied to improve fiber–matrix adhesion. Fiber loadings of 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt% were incorporated to the phenolic matrix and tensile, flexural, morphological and thermal properties of the resulting composites were studied. In general, mechanical properties of the composites showed a maximum at 3% of fiber loading and a uniform distribution of the fibers in such composites was observed. Silane treatment of the fibers provided derived composites with the best thermal and mechanical properties. Meanwhile, NaOH treatment improved thermal and flexural properties, but reduced tensile properties of the materials. Therefore, the phenolic composite containing 3% of silane treated cellulose fiber was selected as the material with optimal properties.     

Effects of plasma-induced epoxy coatings on surface properties of Twaron fibers and improved adhesion with PPESK resins

This work deals with the oxygen and argon plasma-induced coating process on the surface of Twaron fibers to obtain a strong interfacial adhesion between the fibers and PPESK matrices. The epoxy coating resins applied in this study were chemically bonded with the plasma pretreated fibers, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The fiber surface morphologies and wettability were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dynamic contact angle analysis, respectively. The interfacial adhesion performance of the Twaron fiber-reinforced PPESK composite was measured by interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and water absorption tests. The fracture mechanisms of composites were examined by SEM. The results indicated that after coating the surface wettability was improved and the ILSS had an increment of 66.1% for oxygen-plasma-induced coating and 68.9% for argon-plasma-induced coating.     

Effects of maleated polypropylene on the morphology,thermal and mechanical properties of short carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) on the properties of short carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites. The composites were prepared by melt blending and injection molding techniques at different percentages of CF. Tensile tests, hardness, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to characterize the physical and morphological properties of the prepared composites. It was observed from SEM photographs that modification with PP-g-MAH improved the interfacial adhesion between the carbon fibers and PP matrix. The ultimate tensile strength, hardness and modulus values of modified PP composites were higher compared to the values of CF reinforced PP composites. Melting temperature of all composites was not changed significantly with increasing CF content; however degree of crystallinity values were decreased with the increasing CF content level.     

Isocyanate as a compatibilizing agent on the properties of highly crystalline cellulose/polypropylene composites

Composites of a highly crystalline cellulosic microfibres with polypropylene (PP) as well as with maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) were prepared by using 1,6-diisocyanatohexane (DIC) as a compatibilizing agent, their mechanical properties, morphologies, and thermal properties were investigated. Results show that the tensile strength and young’s modulus of the composites improved intensively by using DIC. The enhancement is proposed to be due to stronger interfacial adhesion caused by the reduction of the polarity and hydrophilicity of cellulose fiber in PP-based composites, while much more chemically bound MAPP chains on cellulose fiber in MAPP-based composites. A maximum on tensile properties of the composite can be obtained by optimizing of the DIC content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates that the interfacial adhesion between cellulose fibers and PP or MAPP matrix was improved in DIC coupled composites. Furthermore, DIC yields also some effects on thermal dynamic mechanical properties, as well as melting and crystallization behavior of the composites.     

Effect of fiber surface treatments on mechanical and abrasive wear performance of polylactide/jute composites

The main focus of this work is to improve the adhesion of jute fiber with polylactide (PLA). For this purpose, surface of the jute fiber was modified by alkali, permanganate, peroxide and silane treatments. The surface modified fibers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Unidirectional composites were prepared with treated jute fibers and PLA matrix by hot pressing of solvent impregnated prepregs. Surface treatments resulted in enhancement of tensile and flexural properties and reduction in Izod impact strength. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results showed that, treated composites have higher storage modulus and lower tangent delta with respect to untreated composite. The degree of interfacial adhesion between the jute fiber and PLA was estimated using adhesion parameter obtained through DMA data. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed a higher thermal stability for silane treated composites. Experimental results on abrasive wear tests revealed that the wear resistance of composite is sensitive to fiber/matrix adhesion.     

Effect of flame retardants on flame retardant,mechanical, and thermal properties of sisal fiber/polypropylene composites

A flame retardant efficiency of flame retardants; ammonium polyphosphate (APP), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)₂), zinc borate (Zb), and combination of APP with Mg(OH)₂ and Zb in sisal fiber/polypropylene (PP) composites was investigated using a horizontal burning test and a vertical burning test. In addition, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was used as a compatibilizer to enhance the compatibility in the system; i.e. PP-fiber and PP-flame retardants. Thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the PP composites were also studied. Adding the flame retardants resulted in improved flame retardancy and thermal stability of the PP composites without deterioration of their mechanical properties. APP and combination of APP with Zb effectively enhanced flame retardancy of the PP composites. No synergistic effect was observed when APP was used in combination with Mg(OH)₂. SEM micrographs of PP composites revealed good distribution of flame retardants in PP matrix and good adhesion between sisal fiber and PP matrix.     

Expanded graphite nanoplatelets as coupling agents in glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

The interfacial adhesion between E-glass fibers and various types of nanomodified polypropylene (PP) matrices have been investigated on single-fiber model composites. In particular, an evaluation of the fiber–matrix interfacial shear strength was performed by the fragmentation tests on model composites prepared by using PP matrices containing various amounts (up to 7 wt%) of expanded graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP).The presence of xGnP in the polymer matrix resulted in a remarkable increase of the interfacial shear strength values (up to a factor of about 6 for a 7 wt% content of xGnP) if compared to neat PP. Moreover, wettability measurements in various liquids evidenced that the work of adhesion of the polymer matrix with respect to glass fiber, was improved by the presence of xGnP.     

R-PET短纤维增强PP复合材料的结构与性能

对再生聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(R-PET)短纤堆增强聚丙烯(PP)复合材料进行了研究.通过扫描电镜(SEM)、熔融指数仅、差示扫描量热法(DSC)和万能试验机测定了材料的相结构、加工性能、热学性能和力学性能.采用甲基丙烯酸酸水甘油酯接枝乙烽-辛烯共聚物(POE-g-GMA)作为体系的增容剂.结果表明,POE-g-GMA显...     

Ternary nano-CaCO3/poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber/polypropylene composites: Increased impact strength and reinforcing mechanism

The binary nano-CaCO₃/polypropylene (PP), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers/PP and ternary nano-CaCO₃/PET fibers/polypropylene composites were prepared by melt blending method, and their structure and mechanical properties were investigated. The results show that the ternary nano-CaCO₃/PET fibers/PP composite displays significantly enhanced mechanical properties compared with the binary PET fibers/PP and nano-CaCO₃/PP composites, and neat PP. The X-ray diffraction, dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and analysis of the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics were used to investigate the reinforcement mechanism of composites. The results indicate that the interfacial action and compatibility between PET fiber and PP are obviously enhanced by the addition of modified nano-CaCO₃ particles in the ternary composites and the mechanical property enhancement in the ternary system may be mainly originated from the formation of β-form crystallites of PP induced by the synergistic effect between PET fibers and nano-CaCO_3.     

碱处理对竹纤维及竹纤维增强聚丙烯复合材料性能的影响

为探究竹纤维表面能对纤维与树脂的粘附功及复合材料界面的影响,采用碱处理对竹纤维进行表面改性,通过模压工艺制备了竹纤维增强聚丙烯(PP)复合材料。研究了碱处理对竹纤维性能、竹纤维与PP间的粘附功及对竹纤维/PP复合材料力学性能的影响,采用SEM研究了不同浓度碱处理后竹纤维表面形貌的变化。结果表明:随着碱浓度的增加,竹纤维断裂强度呈现一定波动,当碱浓度为1wt%时竹纤维断裂强度达到最大值;竹纤维与PP的粘附功与竹纤维极性比密切相关,竹纤维极性比越小,粘附功越大;随着碱浓度增大,竹纤维与PP间粘附功与竹纤维/PP复合材料剪切性能呈现相同的趋势,并且都在碱浓度为20wt%时达到最大值,此时竹纤维与PP的粘附功较未处理时提高了67.18%;竹纤维/PP复合材料剪切性能较未处理时提高了23.29%;复合材料弯曲强度在碱浓度为5wt%时达到最大值,相比未处理时提高了23.13%。     

Kevlar纤维织物的性能研究

通过电子织物强力仪、万能试验机、圆盘式平磨仪、广角X-射线衍射(WAXD)、示差扫描量热(DSC)、红外光谱(IR)、热失重分析(TG)对对位芳纶纤维(Kevlar Twaron)织物进行表征,分析了热处理前后KevLar纤维织物的取向结晶行为和热性能.结果表明,KevLar单纱的断裂强力为693.82 cN/tex,...     

On the post-mortem fracture surface morphology of short fiber reinforced thermoplastics

The fracture surface morphology of short fiber reinforced thermoplastics (SFRTs) has often been used to assess qualitatively the degree of fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, fracture toughness and failure strain, etc. are then correlated with the morphology. Fracture surfaces showing fibers surrounded by a large amount of matrix material is commonly regarded as indication of strong fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion while smooth fibers are characteristic of weak interfacial adhesion. Many experimental results of SFRTs have been so interpreted. However, it is shown in this paper that strictly speaking, such interpretations are generally incorrect. Moreover, the amount of matrix material does not provide a quantitative measure of the adhesion. Correct implication of the morphology of fracture surfaces is clarified. Short glass fiber reinforced polyamide 6,6/polypropylene (PA 6,6/PP) blends toughened by rubber are employed as examples for SFRTs since the PA 6,6/PP blend system by changing PA 6,6 concentration in the matrix blend represents a wide range of matrix materials. It is demonstrated that the fracture surface morphology of such composites is dependent on both fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion strength and matrix shear yield strength. Consequently, tensile failure strain is well correlated with the post-mortem fracture surface morphology of these SFRTs.     

再生PET纤维/PP复合材料的结构及力学性能

为满足环境保护和可持续发展的需要,废弃无纺布的回收再利用已经成为材料领域的又一研究热点。本文以废弃无纺布为研究对象制得再生聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(PET)纤维,通过热压成型技术制备不同纤维含量的PET/聚丙烯(PP)复合材料。综合利用SEM、DSC、XRD、拉伸性能测试等手段对PET/PP复合材料的结构和性能进行了研究。结果表明:低含量的PET纤维均匀分散在PP基体中,与基体间界面结合紧密;PET纤维的异相成核作用促进了PP分子链的结晶,提高了结晶度,使晶粒细化;这些微结构的变化有利于PET/PP复合膜力学性能的提高,当PET纤维含量仅为0.1%时,PET/PP复合膜的拉伸强度提高了25.99%,断裂韧性提高了61.96%。     

超微竹炭增强聚丙烯复合材料的制备与性能

为提高聚丙烯(PP)基复合材料的力学性能和热学性能,将不同质量分数的超微竹炭(UFBC)作为增强体引入聚丙烯,通过熔融挤出及注塑成型工艺制备UFBC/PP复合材料。利用SEM和DSC分析、力学强度和吸湿性测试等手段综合表征复合材料性能。结果表明:UFBC与PP基体间界面结合紧密;UFBC的添加对PP复合材料的力学强度有较好的增强效果:UFBC质量分数为30wt%时,UFBC/PP复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度达到较大值,分别为26MPa和54MPa,较纯PP分别提高了9%和18%,UFBC/PP复合材料的耐湿性仍保持较佳水平,吸湿率均小于0.1%;UFBC质量分数为40wt%时,熔融温度提高了3.1℃;UFBC质量分数为50wt%时,UFBC/PP复合材料的结晶温度提高了10.8℃。UFBC的添加有效促进了UFBC/PP复合材料的结晶,改善了其加工性。     

Mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene reinforced with Alfa fiber under different chemical treatment

The interest in using natural fibers as reinforcement for thermoplastic polymers was attracted several studies covering both material science and green technology. The use of plant fiber requires the issue of compatibility between matrix and fibers. This study treat the effect of chemical modification (alkali treatment, etherification treatment and esterification treatment) on the Alfa fiber surface, and its impact on mechanical and thermal properties of composites. To this end, the percentage of fibers was fixed at (20 wt.%), and to evaluate the effect of each chemical modification in Alfa reinforced polypropylene (PP), based on the mechanical and thermal properties of composites. Composites containing chemically modified Alfa fibers were found to possess improved mechanical and thermal properties when compared to non-treated composite. The highest improvement in Young’s modulus was observed with esterified fibers, with a 35% increase. Thermal stability is best increased using etherification-treated fiber, with gains in the temperature up to 80 °C.     

Crystallization behavior of organo-nanoclay treated and untreated kraft fiber–HDPE composites

Both non-isothermal and isothermal crystallization behaviors of neat HDPE and organo-nanoclay treated and untreated kraft fiber–high density polyethylene (HDPE) or HDPE–maleic anhydride polyethylene (MAPE) composites were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The isothermal crystallization process was studied by the Avrami model. The crystallization patterns and organo-nanoclay distribution was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that both organo-nanoclay treated and untreated kraft fibers could act as nucleating agent for the HDPE polymer when the fiber length was comparatively small. All composites crystallized much faster than the neat HDPE, while their crystallinity levels were lower. The organo-nanoclay treatment of kraft fibers made the crystallinity level lower, but the nucleation rate increased in the composites compared to the untreated kraft fiber–HDPE composites. But both the crystallinity level and the nucleation rate of the composites were increased by adding MAPE compatibilizer to the composites. MAPE increased the d-spacing of the organo-nanoclay layers in the composites and resulted in exfoliated clay platelets when the fiber loading was as high as 40 wt%.     

Biocomposites from Musa textilis and polypropylene: Evaluation of flexural properties and impact strength

Abaca (Musa textilis)-reinforced polypropylene composites have been prepared and their flexural mechanical properties studied. Due to their characteristic properties, M. textilis has a great economic importance and its fibers are used for specialty papers. Due to its high price and despite possessing very distinctive mechanical properties, to date abaca fibers had not been tested in fiber-reinforced composites. Analysis of materials prepared showed that, in spite of reduced interface adhesion, flexural properties of the PP composites increased linearly with fiber content up to 50 wt.%. Addition of a maleated polypropylene coupling agent still enhanced the stress transfer from the matrix to the reinforcement fiber. As a result, composites with improved flexural properties were obtained. The mechanical properties of matrix and reinforcing fiber were evaluated and used for modelling both the flexural strength and modulus of its composites. In addition, the impact strength of materials was evaluated. Comparison with mechanical properties of composites reinforced with fiberglass points out the potentiality of abaca-reinforced polypropylene composites as suitable substitutes in applications with low impact strength demands.