Long jute fiber‐reinforced polypropylene composite: Effects of jute fiber bundle and glass fiber hybridization

Two types of long jute fiber pellet consisting of twisted‐jute yarn (LFT‐JF/PP) and untwisted‐jute yarn (UT‐JF/PP) pellets are used to prepare jute fiber–reinforced polypropylene (JF/PP) composites. The mechanical properties of both long fiber composites are compared with that of re‐pelletized pellet (RP‐JF/PP) of LFT‐JF/PP pellet, which is re‐compounded by extrusion compounding. High stiffness and high impact strength of JF/PP composites are as a result of using long fiber. However, the longer fiber bundle consequently affects the distribution of jute fiber. The incorporation of 10 wt % glass fibers is found to improve mechanical properties of JF/PP composites. Increasing mechanical properties of hybrid composites is dependent on the type of JF/PP pellets, which directly affect the fiber length and fiber orientation of glass fiber within hybrid composites. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41819.     

Injection‐molded short hemp fiber/glass fiber‐reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites—Mechanical,water absorption and thermal properties

Natural fiber‐based thermoplastic composites are generally lower in strength performance compared to thermoset composites. However, they have the advantage of design flexibility and recycling possibilities. Hybridization with small amounts of synthetic fibers makes these natural fiber composites more suitable for technical applications such as automotive interior parts. Hemp fiber is one of the important lignocellulosic bast fiber and has been used as reinforcement for industrial applications. This study focused on the performance of injection‐molded short hemp fiber and hemp/glass fiber hybrid polypropylene composites. Results showed that hybridization with glass fiber enhanced the performance properties. A value of 101 MPa for flexural strength and 5.5 GPa for the flexural modulus is achieved from a hybrid composite containing 25 wt % of hemp and 15 wt % of glass. Notched Izod impact strength of the hybrid composites exhibited great enhancement (34%). Analysis of fiber length distribution in the composite and fracture surface was performed to study the fiber breakage and fracture mechanism. Thermal properties and resistance to water absorption properties of the hemp fiber composites were improved by hybridization with glass fibers. Overall studies indicated that the short hemp/glass fiber hybrid polypropylene composites are promising candidates for structural applications where high stiffness and thermal resistance is required. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2432–2441, 2007     

Fabrication of long glass fiber reinforced polyacetal composites: Mechanical performance,microstructures, and isothermal crystallization kinetics

A thermoplastic pultrusion was carried out to prepare the long fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) composites based on polyacetal (POM) matrix on the custom‐designed pultrusion equipment. The investigation on mechanical performance revealed that the POM‐based LFT composites achieved much higher tensile, flexural, and impact strength than the short glass fiber reinforced ones at the same fiber loadings. Such a promising reinforcement effect is attributed to the feature that the residual fiber length in the injection‐molded LFT products is greatly superior to that in short fiber reinforced ones. This takes full advantage of the strength of the reinforcing fiber itself. The scanning electronic microscopy demonstrated that the fiber fracture and fiber pull‐out concurred on the tensile and impact fracture surfaces, and the former preceded the latter. The isothermal crystallization kinetics of the POM‐based LFT composites was also intensively studied, and the results indicated that the crystallinity of POM domain was enhanced by the heterogeneous nucleation of glass fiber, but the crystallization rate was postponed due to the interspace restriction toward crystalline growth caused by long glass fiber. These kinetic parameters provided information on the processing conditions of POM‐based LFT composites for the injection and compression molding. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1826–1839, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Long fiber reinforcement of polypropylene/polystyrene blends

The recycling of inseparable polymer mixtures usually results in blends with poor mechanical properties. A mixture of PP and PS was taken as a model compound for a recyclate. The effect of adding glass fibers to a mixture of PP/PS (70/30) was studied, with special attention to long glass fiber reinforcement. Test specimens were made in three different ways: by dry blending (direct injection molding), mild compounding with a single screw extruder, and compounding with a twin screw extruder. The fiber concentration was varied from 0 to 30 wt%. The fiber lengths were determined to investigate fiber attrition. The fiber lengths in the samples were 1.09 mm for dry blending, 0.72 mm for single screw compounding, and 0.33 mm for twin screw compounding. The mechanical behavior was studied by unnotched and notched Izod impact and tensile tests. The PP/PS blend had a low fracture strain and low unnotched Izod impact strength compared with a PP homopolymer. With an increasing fiber concentration and fiber length, the modulus, tensile strength, and particularly the impact strength increased. With a 30 wt% glass fiber of the long fiber compound (dry blended), the modulus was raised by a factor of 3.5, the fracture stress by a factor of 2.5 and the unnotched Izod impact strength by a factor of 10. The product quality as judged by the scatter of the data was best for the twin screw compound and poorest for the dry blend. Compounding with a single screw extruder gave fairly constant injection molding product properties, combined with excellent mechanical properties.     

Effects of A,B, and S components on fiber length distribution,mechanical, and impact properties of carbon fiber/ABS composites produced by different processing methods

Carbon fiber/ABS composites with different acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene components were produced via extrusion/injection and long fiber thermoplastic (LFT)/injection molding processes, respectively. The effect of the components on fiber length distribution, tensile, flexural, impact, and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. The properties of carbon fiber/ABS composites produced using 12 mm-long LFT pellets were markedly higher than those produced using extruded pellets made with 12 mm-long chopped carbon fibers. Uses of LFT pellets were preferable to enhancing the mechanical properties of carbon fiber/ABS composites. The tensile, flexural, and dynamic mechanical properties were increased in order of ABS750sw > ABS720 ≥ ABS780 > ABS740, whereas the impact strength was increased in order of ABS740 > ABS780 > ABS720 ≈ ABS750sw. Less carbon fiber damages and less carbon fiber length degradation upon LFT processing resulted in longer fiber length distribution and higher fiber aspect ratio in the composites with LFT pellets, indicating a beneficial reinforcing effect, which was responsible for the increased mechanical properties of ABS composites, particularly with ABS750sw. The results were agreed with each other, significantly depending on the A, B, and S components, being supported by fiber length distribution, fiber aspect ratio, and fracture surfaces.     

Regenerated cellulose fibers as impact modifier in long jute fiber reinforced polypropylene composites: Effect on mechanical properties,morphology, and fiber breakage

Polypropylene/jute fiber (PP‐J) composites with various concentrations of viscose fibers (VF) as impact modifiers and maleated polypropylene (MAPP) as a compatibilizer have been studied. The composite materials were manufactured using direct long fiber thermoplastic (D‐LFT) extrusion and compression molding. The effect of fiber length, after the extrusion process, on composites mechanical performance and toughness was investigated. The results showed that the incorporation of soft and tough VF on the PP‐J improved the energy absorption of the composites. The higher impact strength was found with the addition of 10 wt % of the impact modifier, but the increased concentration of the impact modifier affected the tensile and flexural properties negatively. Similarly, HDT values were reduced with addition of viscose fibers whereas the addition of 2 wt % of maleated polypropylene significantly improved the overall composite properties. The microscopic analysis clearly demonstrated longer fiber pullouts on the optimized impact modified composite. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41301.     

Effect of glass fiber length on the creep and impact resistance of reinforced thermoplastics

Impact and flexural creep testing were conducted at temperatures between −22°F (−30°C) and 250°F (121°C) to evaluate and compare the end-use performance of continuous long glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic sheet composites to that of short glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics. The matrices studied consisted of amorphous (polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and semicrystalline (polypropylene) polymers. Data were obtained from both injection-molded specimens (short fibers), and from specimens machine-cut from compression-molded test panels (continuous long fibers). The creep results of this study demonstrated that continuous long fibers are more efficient than short fibers in reinforcing the thermoplastic matrices, resulting in enhanced load-bearing ability at elevated temperatures. The addition of continuous long glass fibers to the thermoplastic matrices led to a significant increase in the notched Izod impact strengths between the temperatures of −22°F (−30°C) and 77°F (25°C), and only slight improvement in the drop-weight impact strengths. The lack of correlation between notched Izod impact and drop-weight strengths is largely due to the difference in crack propagation and fracture initiation energies. Results of the Rheometrics instrumented impact test indicated a higher total fracture energy for the long glass-reinforced thermoplastic sheet composites than for the short glass-reinforced injection-molded thermoplastics. The decreased ease of crack propagation in thermoplastic sheet composites is associated with the high energy-absorbing mechanisms of fiber debonding and interply delamination. The results of this study point to the significant property improvement of continuous long fibers vs. short fibers. The creep strength of short fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are greatly affected by the nature of the stress transfer which in turn is influenced by the critical fiber length and temperature, which is not the case for the long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic sheet composites. Long fibers dramatically increase the impact resistance of thermoplastics. The retention of toughness at low temperatures coupled with elevated temperature performance greater than similar short glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics effectively extends the capabilities of thermoplastic sheet composites at both temperature extremes.     

长玻璃纤维增强PP/m-PA6复合材料的制备及性能研究

采用熔融拉挤工艺技术制备了长玻璃纤维增强聚丙烯/聚酰胺6[LFT- (PP/m-PA6)]粒料,并研究了材料的界面相互作用情况、力学性能和流变性能。结果表明, m-PA6改善了PP树脂与玻纤之间的润湿性和浸淆性, 提高了界面粘接强度, 使LFT-(PP/m-PA6)的拉伸强度和弯曲强度增加、刚性增强、韧性基本不变; 当长玻纤含量相同时, 以均聚PP（F401）为基质的长玻纤增强聚丙烯（LFT-PP）和LFT-(PP/m-PA6)的力学性能高于以共聚PP（K712）为基质的LFT-PP和LFT-(PP/m-PA6),特别是缺口冲击强度明显提高;在-30 ℃下,LFT-PP（F401）的缺口冲击强度提高了3.91 %,LFT-PP（K712）的缺口冲击强度提高了7.53 %; m-PA6起到了界面润滑作用, 能使LFT-(PP/m-PA6)的流动性能更好。     

Tensile and Impact Properties of Thermoplastic Natural Rubber Reinforced Short Glass Fiber and Empty Fruit Bunch Hybrid Composites

Thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) hybrid composite with short glass fiber (GF) and empty fruit bunch (EFB) fiber were prepared via the melt blending method using an internal mixer type Thermo Haake 600p. The TPNR were prepared from natural rubber (NR), liquid natural rubber (LNR) and polypropylene (PP) thermoplastic, with a ratio of 20:10:70. The hybrid composites were prepared at various ratios of GF/EFB with 20% volume fraction. Premixture was performed before the material was discharged into the machine. The study also focused on the effect of fiber (glass and EFB) treatment using silane and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAgPP) as a coupling agent. In general, composite that contains 10% EFB/10% glass fiber gave an optimum tensile and impact strength for treated and untreated hybrid composites. Tensile properties increase with addition of a coupling agent because of the existence of adherence as shown in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph. Further addition of EFB exceeding 10% reduced the Young's modulus and impact strength. However, the hardness increases with the addition of EFB fiber for the untreated composite and decreases for the treated composite.     

Preparation and performance characteristics of short‐glass‐fiber/maleated styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene/polypropylene hybrid composites

Eighty/twenty polypropylene (PP)/styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS) and 80/20 PP/maleated styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS‐g‐MA) blends reinforced with 30 wt % short glass fibers (SGFs) were prepared by extrusion and subsequent injection molding. The influence of the maleic anhydride (MA) functional group grafted to SEBS on the properties of SGF/SEBS/PP hybrid composites was studied. Tensile and impact tests showed that the SEBS‐g‐MA copolymer improved the yield strength and impact toughness of the hybrid composites. Extensive plastic deformation occurred at the matrix interface layer next to the fibers of the SGF/SEBS‐g‐MA/PP composites during impact testing. This was attributed to the MA functional group, which enhanced the adhesion between SEBS and SGF. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements indicated that SEBS promoted the crystallization of PP spherulites by acting as active nucleation sites. However, the MA functional group grafted to SEBS retarded the crystallization of PP. Finally, polarized optical microscopy observations confirmed the absence of transcrystallinity at the glass‐fiber surfaces of both SGF/SEBS/PP and SGF/SEBS‐g‐MA/PP hybrid composites. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 1303–1311, 2002     

Process–structure–property relationship in ternary short‐glass‐fiber/elastomer/polypropylene composites

Short‐glass‐fiber (SGF)‐reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites toughened with a styrene/ethylene butylene/styrene (SEBS) triblock copolymer were injection molded after extrusion. Furthermore, a maleic anhydride (MA)‐grafted SEBS copolymer (SEBS‐g‐MA) was used as an impact modifier and compatibilizer. The effects of the processing conditions and compatibilizer on the microstructure and tensile and impact performance of the hybrid composites were investigated. In the route 1 fabrication process, SGF, PP, and SEBS were blended in an extruder twice, and this was followed by injection molding. In route 2, or the sequential blending process, the elastomer and PP were mixed thoroughly before the addition of SGF. In other words, either PP and SEBS or PP and SEBS‐g‐MA pellets were premixed in an extruder. The produced pellets were then blended with SGF in the extruder, and this was followed by injection molding. The SGF/SEBS‐g‐MA/PP hybrid fabricated by the route 2 process exhibited the highest modulus, yield stress, tensile stress at break, Izod impact energy, and Charpy drop weight impact strength among the composites investigated. This was due to the formation of a homogeneous SEBS elastomeric interlayer at the SGF and matrix interface of the SGF/SEBS‐g‐MA/PP hybrid. This SEBS rubbery layer enhanced the interfacial bonding between SGF and the matrix of the SGF/SEBS‐g‐MA/PP hybrid. The correlations between the processing, microstructure, and properties of the hybrids were investigated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 1384–1392, 2003     

Impact behavior of sawdust/recycled–PP composites

The instrumented Izod and Charpy tests were performed on the sawdust–polypropylene (PP) composites to study the nature of impact resistance in the thermoplastic wood composites. The notched Izod strength was found to increase with filler content in composites containing the Maleic–anhydride–grafted PP (MAPP) additive. The Izod strength even exceeds that of the neat matrix resin at higher filler contents, indicating a methodology for applying the recycled PP and also for reinforcing the thermoplastics with wood powders. While the static tensile results show evidences for the reinforcing role of the wood filler, a fracture mechanics characterization through the Charpy impact tests effects of MAPP under the impact loading rates. The choice of MAPP as the additive was discussed accordingly for application of the sort of materials. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 1420–1428, 2001     

Effect of impregnation time on performance of long glass fiber‐reinforced polypropylene composites

Long glass fiber (LGF)‐reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were prepared using self‐designed impregnation device. Effects of impregnation time on mechanical properties, crystallization, dynamic mechanical properties, and morphology of PP/LGF composites were investigated. The experiment results demonstrate that the excellent tensile strength, Notched Izod impact strength was 152.9 MPa, 31.2 KJ/m², respectively, and the stiffness of PP/LGF composites was higher, when the impregnation time was 7.03 s. The excellent interfacial adhesion between PP and glass fiber indicates that PP/LGF composites possess the outstanding mechanical properties. The impregnation time scarcely influenced thermal properties of PP/LGF composites. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:174–178, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

玻纤增强基材的创新与发展

分析了当今下游复合材料工业的发展对玻纤增强基材发展的需要。重点介绍了风电叶片用玻纤纱、技术织物、复合织物、预浸渍制品、预成型增强体等各类玻纤增强基材以及增强热塑性塑料用的短切纤维、混合纱、LFT、GMT、GMT-D、LFT—D、增强热塑性片材等各类玻纤增强基材。并为玻纤增强基材如何促进这两类复合材料产品的发展提出建议。     

长玻璃纤维增强热塑性塑料的开发应用

通过对玻璃纤维（GF）增强聚丙烯（PP）改性、长GF的表面浸润与分散性的研究,开发出与PP相容、充分适应长纤维增强热塑性塑料（LFT）加工要求的专用无捻粗纱,并通过长纤维造粒技术和注塑工艺制备性能优良的制品．其力学性能明显优于短GF增强PP。最后介绍了长GF增强热塑性塑料的应用前景。     

长玻璃纤维增强聚丙烯复合材料的高性能、低成本化技术

本文通过直接挤出混炼的方法制备了长玻璃纤维增强聚丙烯复合材料,研究了长纤维增强聚丙烯复合材料高性能、低成本化的方法。通过与连续玻璃纤维增强聚丙烯织物的组合,获得了力学性能超过玻璃纤维毡增强聚丙烯复合材料的高性能复合材料。在树脂基体中掺混廉价的填料及回收的聚丙烯树脂,结合适当的填料表面处理方法及废弃回收树脂的增韧及抗老化改性,在力学性能保持一定水平的基础上,可有效降低材料的成本。     

Mechanical properties of glass fiber/organic fiber mixed–mat reinforced thermoplastic composites

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of different types of fibers on the mechanical properties of hybrid composite materials. Long and short glass fibers (GF) and different types of organic fibers, viz. aramid fiber, DuPont Kevlar‐49 (KF), liquid crystalline polymer (LCP), and vinylon (VF) in hybrid composites, were used to reinforced the high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix. The long fiber hybrid composites were prepared in a “fiber separating and flying machine,” while the short fiber hybrid composites were prepared in an “elastic extruder.” The total amount of fibers used in both long and short fiber hybrid composites was fixed at 20 vol%. The influence of fiber content, length, and mixing ratio on mechanical properties, such as tensile, bending, Izod and high rate impact strength, as well as viscoelastic propertics in the solid state, was studied. Fracture surfaces of the materials were also examined using a scanning electron microscopy.     

Swirl mat– and long discontinuous fiber mat–reinforced polypropylene composites—status and future trends

Polypropylene (PP) composites with glass and natural fiber mat reinforcement (GMT‐PP and NMT‐PP, respectively) are widely used in different applications, competing with metallic sheets and thermoset polymer composites. Their production occurs via melt impregnation, slurry deposition and various textile architecturing processes that lead to either consolidated or non‐consolidated preforms. These preforms are then converted into final parts by hot pressing. The “traditional” GMT‐PP composites are nowadays faced with a great challenge because of the introduction of long fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) composites produced on‐ or off‐line. This paper gives a brief survey on the manufacturing, processing, properties and application of GMT and GMT‐like systems and it concludes by describing some of the future trends, especially in the fields of material and process developments.     

Polypropylene–glass fiber/basalt fiber hybrid composites fabricated by direct fiber feeding injection molding process

Hybrid composites of polypropylene reinforced with glass fibers and basalt fibers were fabricated by vented injection molding machine which is named the direct fiber feeding injection molding (DFFIM) process. Polyamide 6 and maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene has been used as a coupling agent to improve the interfacial bonding between the fibers and matrix. Two types of vented injection molding machines with a different check ring and mold were used for making specimens. The fiber lengths were analyzed to identify the most suitable check ring and mold for the DFFIM process. The mechanical properties of the hybrid composites were investigated by tensile, flexural and Izod impact tests. The interfacial morphology of the fractured tensile specimens was studied by using scanning electron microscopy and showed that there is a fiber agglomeration phenomenon that occurs in the hybrid composites, and it has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of hybrid composites. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45472.     

Fatigue resistance of continuous glass fiber/polypropylene composites: Temperature dependence

The effect of testing temperature on the fatigue resistance of continuous glass fiber/polypropylene (CGF/PP) composites was studied. Fatigue resistance curves (or S-N curves) were obtained at −40°C, 23°C and 50°C. Both on an absolute stress basis and on a normalized stress basis (with respect to the yield stress at the temperature considered), the S-N curves showed that CGF/PP composites had excellent fatigue performance at 23°C and that their performance was actually improved at −40°C (below T_g of the PP matrix). The S-N curves at 50°C showed that, although the composite flexural strength was reduced because of PP matrix softening, their fatigue performance remained relatively high, as it is controlled by the CGF reinforcement. Comparison with a CGF/thermoset isophthalic polyester composite of identical fiber architecture and similar flexural strength at 23°C indicated that the properties of the thermoplastic PP matrix provided improved fatigue resistance, both on an absolute and a normalized basis, especially below the glass transition temperature. It was concluded that the fact that the fatigue performance of the CGF/polyester composite is only weakly temperature-dependent, while that of the CGF/PP composite is strongly temperature-dependent, does not necessarily mean that it shows superior performance. Polym. Compos. 25:622–629, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.