Stress Transfer Function for Interface Assessment in Composites with Plasma Copolymer Functionalized Carbon Fibres

Radio-frequency-induced plasma copolymerization of acrylic acid/1,7-octadiene was used to produce a range of functionalized plasma copolymer coatings with controlled degree of adhesion. The single-fibre fragmentation test was used to characterize the adhesion of plasma copolymer coated fibres to epoxy resin. The cumulative stress transfer function (CSTF) and Kelly-Tyson approaches were used to evaluate the degree of adhesion. By continuous monitoring of the fragmentation process, it was found that the mechanical performance of a composite material could be evaluated using the CSTF methodology at strain well below saturation. The degree of debonding was a good measure of relative interface/interphase adhesive strength. The trend in the CSTF is consistent with the propagation of interfacial debonds during the test. For a completely debonded fibre a normalized CSTF value, referred as stress transfer efficiency (STE), was found to provide a more consistent analysis that was able to differentiate between fibres with similar degrees of debonding. The calculated values of interfacial shear strength (IFSS) were only valid for a fully debonded fibre (1,7-octadiene plasma homopolymer coating) where the assumption of a constant shear stress, as in the Kelly-Tyson model, applied. However, IFSS did not provide the same ranking. Where debonding does not occur, the stress transfer efficiency also provides a sensitive measure of the interface/interphase performance. Improved adhesion over the untreated-unsized carbon fibre was observed for both of the plasma copolymer-coated and commercially treated carbon fibres. Since there is a concentration dependence of carboxyl groups on adhesion, the mechanism appears to relate to covalent bond formation with the epoxy group. Plasma copolymer coatings on carbon fibres also causes an increased tensile strength and Weibull modulus.     

含脱粘界面纤维增强复合材料应力传递的理论分析

取具有脱粘界面的连续纤维增强复合材料的特征体积单元为研究对象,在常规剪滞模型的基础上通过引入摩擦力概念,并考虑横向泊松效应及基体径向力作用的影响,得到了纤维、基体的轴向应力及界面剪应力沿纤维方向的解析表达式。结果表明:本文所用的改进剪滞模型能较准确地反映各相介质沿纤维方向的应力分布特征,特别是较清晰地描述了脱粘界面的应力渐变以及界面粘结与脱粘临界处出现的界面剪应力跳跃现象,取得了与有限元解较为一致的结果。     

Thermoplastic Sizing of Carbon Fibres in High Temperature Polyimide Composites

Thermoplastic sizing of various carbon fibres has been evaluated as a means of controlling the microcracking resistance, transflexural strength (TFS), and thermo-oxidative stability (TOS) of PMR-15 matrix composites. Four different fibre/thermoplastic size combinations were selected for this study, based on their higher TOS than appropriate controls. Data are presented for the transverse microcrack (TVM) density/inch, and the subsequent delamination of [0,90]_4s laminates induced by thermal cycling (-196 to 350°C for 20 cycles). Results for composite TFS, conditioned TFS (after heating in air at 350°C), and TOS (350°C and 316°C) are also reported. One fibre/thermoplastic size combination gave both good microcracking resistance, and significantly improved TOS, in composite when compared with current commercially-available material.     

Thermoplastic Sizing of Carbon Fibres in High Temperature Polyimide Composites

Thermoplastic sizing of various carbon fibres has been evaluated as a means of controlling the microcracking resistance, transflexural strength (TFS), and thermo-oxidative stability (TOS) of PMR-15 matrix composites. Four different fibre/thermoplastic size combinations were selected for this study, based on their higher TOS than appropriate controls. Data are presented for the transverse microcrack (TVM) density/inch, and the subsequent delamination of [0,90]_4s laminates induced by thermal cycling (-196 to 350°C for 20 cycles). Results for composite TFS, conditioned TFS (after heating in air at 350°C), and TOS (350°C and 316°C) are also reported. One fibre/thermoplastic size combination gave both good microcracking resistance, and significantly improved TOS, in composite when compared with current commercially-available material.     

The Effect of Low Power Nitrogen Plasma Treatment of Carbon Fibres on the Interfacial Shear Strength of Carbon Fibre/Epoxy Composites

Type II (high strength) carbon fibres have been given a low power nitrogen plasma treatment. It is shown that this plasma treatment has no effect on the fibre diameter, no detrimental effect on fibre strength and can significantly improve fibre/resin adhesion. It is proposed that this improvement is due to chemical interaction via amine/epoxy bonding at the edge sites together with the interaction of the epoxy with activated basal planes present on the fibre surface. This improvement is only achieved if the fibres are immersed in resin before being exposed to air. Exposing the treated fibres to air drastically reduces fibre/adhesion due to the adsorption of moisture from the environment. Heating these latter fibres in a vacuum at 130°C for one hour allows some recovery of the interfacial strength. It is also demonstrated that the interfacial shear strength falls dramatically when the nitrogen-containing functional groups are completely removed from the fibre surface.     

The Effect of Low Power Nitrogen Plasma Treatment of Carbon Fibres on the Interfacial Shear Strength of Carbon Fibre/Epoxy Composites

Type II (high strength) carbon fibres have been given a low power nitrogen plasma treatment. It is shown that this plasma treatment has no effect on the fibre diameter, no detrimental effect on fibre strength and can significantly improve fibre/resin adhesion. It is proposed that this improvement is due to chemical interaction via amine/epoxy bonding at the edge sites together with the interaction of the epoxy with activated basal planes present on the fibre surface. This improvement is only achieved if the fibres are immersed in resin before being exposed to air. Exposing the treated fibres to air drastically reduces fibre/adhesion due to the adsorption of moisture from the environment. Heating these latter fibres in a vacuum at 130°C for one hour allows some recovery of the interfacial strength. It is also demonstrated that the interfacial shear strength falls dramatically when the nitrogen-containing functional groups are completely removed from the fibre surface.     

The Role of the Interface in Carbon Fibre-Epoxy Composites

The final performance of a composite material depends strongly on the quality of the fibre-matrix interface. The interactions developed at the interface were studied using the acid-base or acceptor-donor concept.

The surface characteristics of the carbon fibres and the epoxy matrix were studied using a tensiometric method and the inverse gas chromatography technique. Acid-base surface characters could be determined allowing the interactions at the interface to be described by a specific interaction parameter.

It was shown that the shear strength of the interface, as measured by a fragmentation test, is strongly correlated to this specific interaction parameter, demonstrating the importance of acid-base interactions in the fibre-matrix adhesion.     

Mechanochemical Routes to Functionalized Graphene Nanofillers Tuned for Lightweight Carbon/Hydrocarbon Composites

Graphite exfoliation by shear‐induced dry and wet processes and especially mechanochemistry represent attractive routes to carbon nanofillers. Dry ball‐milling of graphite in a planetary mill under gas pressure is a scalable and environmentally benign one‐step process, which requires neither hazardous solvents nor tedious separate functionalization and purification steps. Gas type, pressure, and milling duration govern average particle size, shape, and functionalization. Ball‐milling under Ar yields hydroxylated spherical carbon particle agglomerates, whereas ball‐milling under CO₂ affords functionalized nanoplatelets without encountering agglomeration problems and highly exothermic post‐milling reactions with air. The carboxylation of graphene nanoplatelets enhances their dispersibility in various media including polypropylene (PP) even in the absence of compatibilizers. Large amounts of carboxylated nanoplatelets are dispersed in PP without massive viscosity build‐up. Functionalized carbon nanoplatelet fillers enable tailoring of recyclable lightweight carbon/hydrocarbon composites exhibiting an improved balance of stiffness, strength, toughness, electrical, and thermal conductivity.     

Frictional Stress Evaluation along the Fiber-Matrix Interface in Ceramic Matrix Composites

A finite element algorithm, developed for frictional comact problems, has been used to evaluate the shear stresses along the fiber-matrix interface in a ceramic composite and the load point fiber displacements dining fiber compression. The induced peak shear stress and the shear stress gradient were found to increase with increasing coefficients of friction. Calculated fiber displacements asymptotically decayed to the perfectly bonded condition as the coefficient of friction was increased. The computed average interfacial shear stress showed remarkable agreement with recent experimental findings hi the SiC-LAS system.     

Interface and Interphase in Carbon Fibre-Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Composites

The stress transfer capacity of carbon fibre-SBR interfaces is analysed in terms of interfacial shear strength and measured by means of a fragmentation test on single fibre composites. For all the cases studied, the experimental values of the interfacial shear strength are largely higher than theoretically expected. Such a result is explained by the existence near the fibre surface of an interfacial layer in which the polymer chain mobility is greatly reduced. Such an interfacial region of low mobility is pointed out by mechanical spectrometry on unidirectional composites at different fibre contents. This interphase could exhibit a pseudo-glassy behaviour and, in particular, an elastic modulus close to that of the elastomer in its glassy state whatever the temperature.     

Plasma Modifications to the Interface in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Matrices

Radio frequency glow discharge oxygen plasma was used to modify the surfaces of PAN-based and mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers. Surface chemical changes to the fibers were monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by fiber wetting studies evaluated in terms of dispersive-polar components of surface energy and acid-base contribution to the work of adhesion. Physical changes to these fibers were monitored by scanning electron microscopy. Stress transferability of these fibers was evaluated by the embedded single fiber test in poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(methacrylonitrile) and poly(vinyl chloride) as these matrices offered varying degrees of dispersive-polar and acid-base character. Experimentally determined critical aspect ratios were compared to the theoretical work of adhesion determined by dispersive-polar interactions and with the Lewis acid-base nature of the matrices.     

Plasma Modifications to the Interface in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Matrices

Radio frequency glow discharge oxygen plasma was used to modify the surfaces of PAN-based and mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers. Surface chemical changes to the fibers were monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by fiber wetting studies evaluated in terms of dispersive-polar components of surface energy and acid-base contribution to the work of adhesion. Physical changes to these fibers were monitored by scanning electron microscopy. Stress transferability of these fibers was evaluated by the embedded single fiber test in poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(methacrylonitrile) and poly(vinyl chloride) as these matrices offered varying degrees of dispersive-polar and acid-base character. Experimentally determined critical aspect ratios were compared to the theoretical work of adhesion determined by dispersive-polar interactions and with the Lewis acid-base nature of the matrices.     

CNT/CC埋置前后循环力敏特性研究

将碳纳米管分散于水泥基材料中,制备得到碳纳米管水泥基复合材料(CNT/CC)。研究了多壁碳纳米管(multj-walled nanotubes,简称MWNTs)掺量为0.05%的CNT/CC试件,探讨了相关测试参数以及龄期对试件电阻率的影响,并对比了硅灰的掺加对试件导电性能的作用。进一步研究了其在弹性范围应力作用下试件的循环压敏性能,以及埋置大试件中其循环压敏性能,探讨其用于结构应力监测的可行性。研究结果表明,10V测试电压30min时试件的电阻率相对稳定,并且当试件养护到28d后,试件的电阻率基本保持不变。未掺加硅灰后试件的电阻率远小于掺加硅灰的试件。进一步研究发现,试件电阻率能够随应力的变化呈线性变化,且呈现良好的循环性能。埋置大试件后,表现出良好的循环压敏特性,且保持相当的一致性。     

不同泊松比复合材料的裂纹尖端应力场

具有平面负泊松比的碳纤维/环氧树脂非平衡复合材料层板具有很高的断裂韧性和缺口断裂强度。本文用复变函数一变分方法计算了负泊比材料的裂纹尖端应力场，并与常规的平衡复合材料进行了比较。本文重点研究了主应力方向与纤维夹角的关系。结果表明：负泊松比材料独特的裂纹尖端应力场有利于提高缺口断裂强度。     

Chemically Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide as Additives in Polyethylene Composites for Space Applications

The discovery of radiation-shielding materials remains a critical technology to enable long-term space travel and extraterrestrial colonization. Hydrocarbon polymers, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are among the best radiation attenuators due to their rich H content and lightweight. Due to their simple chemical structure that lacks larger heteroatoms, HDPE is also resistant to numerous radiation-induced degradation pathways that often limit the applicability of more sophisticated polymers. One drawback of hydrocarbon polymers is their inferior mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and impact toughness, relative to metals and other high-performance polymer systems. In this report, we develop an alkylated reduced graphene oxide that is used as an additive to enhance the storage and tensile moduli of HDPE by 10–15% across the lunar temperature range. These additives outperform unmodified reduced graphene oxide by 30% due to better dispersion through the polymer matrix as observed by cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60:86–94, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The Determination of Diffusion Coefficients as a Function of Concentration for Dyes in Fibres

A method of determining the dependence on dye concentration of the diffusion coefficient of dyes in fibrous substrates has been developed, based on an approximation method of Crank, in which the amount of dye adsorbed by the fibre is measured colorimetrically as a function of time. The method has been applied to two dyeing systems, the direct dye Chlorazol Sky Blue FF (C. I. Direct Blue 1) on rayon and the acid dye Naphthalene Scarlet 4R (C. I. Acid Red 18) on nylon 6. 6. The results are in good agreement with those of R. H. Peters et al. for the same dyes and substrates, although Peters used films and not fibres and determined diffusion coefficients by an experimentally more complex method that appears impractical for fibres, the film being sectioned and the dye concentration measured as a function of distance with a microdensitometer.     

碳纤维水泥基复合材料压敏性的灵敏度及机理分析

采用阶梯循环加卸载方式,对碳纤维水泥基复合材料在不同应力下压敏性的变化进行试验,提出压敏性的灵敏度概念,对比了未经烘干与经烘干后两种情况下压敏性的灵敏度差异,试验结果表明:未经烘干的碳纤维水泥基复合材料呈现正压敏特性,而烘干后的材料呈现负压敏特性,但两者压敏性的灵敏度均随受压应力的增加而减小,并且经烘干后,材料压敏性的灵敏度随受压应力增加而衰减的速度比未经烘干材料的衰减速度慢.应用隧穿效应和电容效应共同作用机理能较好的分析试验现象.     

A Novel Concept for Highly Oriented Carbon Nanotube Composite Tapes or Fibres with High Strength and Electrical Conductivity

A new concept is described for the creation of multifunctional polymer nanocomposite tapes (or fibres) that combines high stiffness and strength with good electrical properties and a low percolation threshold of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The concept is based on a bicomponent tape (or fibre) construction consisting of a highly oriented polymer core and a conductive polymer composite (CPC) skin based on a polymer with a lower melting temperature than the core, enabling thermal annealing of these skins to improve conductivity through a dynamic percolation process while retaining the properties of the core and hence those of the tape (or fibre). The percolation threshold in the CPC skins of the highly drawn conductive bicomponent tapes could be decreased from 5.3 to 1.1 wt.‐% after annealing.