Improvement of interfacial properties in bismaleimide composites using functionalized graphene oxide grafted carbon fiber

A hierarchical reinforcement, which was used to improve the interfacial properties of bismaleimide (BMI) composites, was prepared by grafting functionalized graphene oxide (GO) onto a carbon fiber surface. The GO and carbon fibers were first functionalized separately to create interactional functional groups on their surfaces. The grafting process was then realized by an amidation reaction of the amine and acyl chloride function groups formed on GO and carbon fibers, respectively. The surface groups of functionalized GO and carbon fibers were identified by an X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The resulting reinforcement was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic contact angle analysis. Experimental results showed that the functionalized GO were successfully grafted onto the carbon fibers surfaces and significantly increased the surface energy of carbon fibers. The study also indicated that the prepared hierarchical reinforcement could significantly improve the interfacial adhesion of resulting BMI composite. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:886–893, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Enhanced mechanical properties of carbon fibre/lithium aluminosilicate composites modified by SiB6 addition

ABSTRACT

Carbon fibre-reinforced lithium aluminosilicate matrix composites (C_f/LAS) with different SiB₆ contents were prepared by the hot pressing method to assess their mechanical properties and oxidation resistance. Composite that was incorporated with 2 wt-% SiB₆ exhibited the highest flexural strength of 500 ± 22.3 MPa. Weight loss and residual strength of C_f/LAS modified by SiB₆ were analysed. The results indicated that the addition of SiB₆ had a remarkable effect on improving the oxidation resistance for C_f/LAS. To establish a direct relationship among interfacial microstructure, mechanical and oxidation behaviour of the studied composites, their connection was examined and discussed.     

A multiscale methodology quantifying the sintering temperature‐dependent mechanical properties of oxide matrix composites

A novel methodology combining multiscale mechanical testing and finite element modeling is proposed to quantify the sintering temperature‐dependent mechanical properties of oxide matrix composites, like aluminosilicate (AS) fiber reinforced Al₂O₃ matrix (AS_f/Al₂O₃) composite in this work. The results showed a high‐temperature sensitivity in the modulus/strength of AS fiber and Al₂O₃ matrix due to their phase transitions at 1200°C, as revealed by instrumented nanoindentation technique. The interfacial strength, as measured by a novel fiber push‐in technique, was also temperature‐dependent. Specially at 1200°C, an interfacial phase reaction was observed, which bonded the interface tightly, as a result, the interfacial shear strength was up to ≈450 MPa. Employing the measured micro‐mechanical parameters of the composite constituents enabled the prediction of deformation mechanism of the composite in microscale, which suggested a dominant role of interface on the ductile/brittle behavior of the composite in tension and shear. Accordingly, the AS_f/Al₂O₃ composite exhibited a ductile‐to‐brittle transition as the sintering temperature increased from 800 to 1200°C, due to the prohibition of interfacial debonding at higher temperatures, in good agreement with numerical predictions. The proposed multiscale methodology provides a powerful tool to study the mechanical properties of oxide matrix composites qualitatively and quantitatively.     

氧化石墨烯的制备及其掺杂的炭/炭复合材料导热性能研究

设定两种不同配比强酸氧化剂,以鳞片石墨为原料,采用Hummers法,制备了氧化石墨烯,再经过高温炭化得到热处理氧化石墨烯。并分别以中间相沥青为基体炭前驱体,炭纤维为增强相,氧化石墨烯及其热处理物为热疏导功能体,制备出掺杂氧化石墨烯的炭/炭复合材料。TEM、SEM等表征表明,选用强酸氧化剂组合配比用量较少的制备出的氧化石墨烯,其形貌整体上要优于用量较多的,具有独特的褶皱结构;相比于氧化石墨烯,掺杂其热处理物的复合材料界面覆盖均匀平滑且结合更优良,且其导热系数可达到60 W.m-1.K-1,是无掺杂的纯复合材料两倍多,导热系数得到了较大幅度提高。     

Enhancement of mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion of PP/EPDM/flax fiber composites using maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer

In order to improve the compatibility between natural fibers and polypropylene (PP) and polypropylene‐ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (PP‐EPDM) blends, the functionalization of both matrices with maleic anhydride (MA) is investigated in this study. The morphological observations carried out by scanning electron microscopy show that the incorporation of small amounts of functionalized polymer considerably improves the adhesion at the fiber‐matrix interface. In these cases, the fibers are perfectly embedded in the matrix in relation to the composites prepared with the pure homopolymers, and a significant increase in the composite strength is also observed, particularly, after the incorporation of both modified polymers (MAPP and MAEPDM). Thus, it is possible to correlate better interfacial adhesion with the improvement of mechanical properties. It is assumed that the functionalization of the matrix reduces interfacial stress concentrations and may prevent fiber‐fiber interactions, which are responsible for premature composite failure. The crystallization kinetics of PP were also analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was observed that both flax fiber and rubber behave as effective nucleant agents, accelerating PP crystallization. Moreover, these results are particularly relevant when the grafted matrices are added to the composite. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2170–2178, 2003     

Enhanced interfacial strength and mechanical properties of carbon fiber composites by introducing functionalized silica nanoparticles into the interface

Introducing nanoparticles onto the surface of carbon fibers (CFs) is a useful method for enhancing the quality of fiber-matrix interface. In this work, a liquid sizing agent containing functionalized silica nanoparticles (SiO₂) was well prepared to improve interfacial strength and mechanical properties of composites. In order to enhance the dispersion of SiO₂ nanoparticles in sizing agent, SiO₂ nanoparticles were chemically grafted with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), and then silanized silica (SiO₂-APS) was introduced into the interphase by a conventional sizing process as well. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the successful preparation of SiO₂-APS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that a uniform distribution of SiO₂-APS on the fiber surface and the increased surface roughness. The sized fibers (CF/SiO₂-APS) exhibited a high surface free energy and good wettability based on a dynamic contact angle testing. Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of untreated and sized CFs composites were investigated. Simultaneous enhancements of interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and impact toughness of CF/SiO₂-APS composites were achieved, increasing 44.79% in ILSS and 31.53% in impact toughness compared to those of untreated composites. Moreover, flexural strength and modulus of composites increased by 32.22 and 50.0% according to flexural test. In addition, the hydrothermal aging resistance of CF/SiO₂-APS composites has been improved significantly owing to the introduced Si-O-Si bonds at the interface.     

Mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite‐filled ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer composites: Effect of particle size and morphology

Pliable and bioactive composites made of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer were developed for the repair of defective cranium. This article describes the mechanical properties of HAP–EVA composites. The effects of HAP particle size and morphology of HAP on the properties of resultant composites were investigated using various techniques. It was found that the composites containing smaller HAP particles had higher values of tensile modulus, flexural modulus, and impact strength. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed that only a mechanical bond existed between the filler and the matrix. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Wet-spinning and carbonization of graphene/PAN-based fibers: Toward improving the properties of carbon fibers

Graphene/polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based composite fibers, as monofilaments, multifilaments, and yarns, were prepared through a facile solution mixing and wet-spinning method. The PAN-based (PANb) precursor was synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization with N-isopropylacrylamide as a comonomer. Following wet-spinning, the PANb yarns were carbonized at 900 °C. Scanning electron microscopy images confirmed the presence of a homogenous dispersion of graphene nanosheets inside the polymer matrix. It has been shown that the addition of graphene not only enhanced the thermal and mechanical properties of the PANb fibers, but also improved their graphitic structure after heat treatment. Tensile strength and Young's modulus of the PANb yarns were increased by 28 and 20%, respectively, on addition of 0.5 wt % graphene. Raman spectra demonstrated improvement in the graphitic structure of the carbonized yarns even at low graphene content. These graphene/ PANb fibers show potential as a suitable precursor for the development of next generation carbon fibers. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47932.     

The effect of maleic anhydride grafting efficiency on the flexural properties of polyethylene composites

Many authors have reported on the property enhancements possible by compounding high density polyethylene (HDPE) with fillers to produce composites. It is accepted that polyethylene combined with materials such as nanoclay or wood flour will not yield favorable properties unless a compatibilizing material is used to form a link. In this work, compatibilized HDPE was produced by grafting maleic anhydride (MA) to its backbone in a twin screw extruder using a peroxide initiated reactive process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to examine the effects of varying peroxide and MA levels on the grafting percentage and it was found that a high percentage could be achieved. The gel content of each HDPE‐g‐MA batch was determined and twin bore rheometry analysis was carried out to examine the effects of crosslinking and MA grafting on the melt viscosity. These HDPE‐g‐MA compatibilizers were subsequently compounded with nanoclay and wood flour to produce composites. The composite materials were tested using a three point bending apparatus to determine the flexural modulus and strength and were shown to have favorable mechanical properties when compared with composites containing no compatibilizer. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the effects of grafted MA content on the intercalation and exfoliation levels of nanoclay composites. The results from XRD scans showed that increased intercalation in polymer nanoclay composites was achieved by increasing the grafted MA content. This was confirmed using a scanning electron microscope, where images produced showed increased levels of dispersion and reductions in nanoclay agglomerates. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

碳/碳复合材料力学性能的研究进展

本文综述了碳/碳复合材料力学性能的研究进展,包括碳纤维、基体炭、界面性能、制备工艺及工艺参数等对碳/碳复合材料力学性能的影响。同时简单介绍了当今单向碳/碳复合材料力学性能的表征手段。希望对碳/碳复合材料力学性能的研究及应用提供帮助。     

Multiscale numerical investigation on failure behaviour of three-dimensional orthogonal woven carbon/carbon composites subjected to pin-loading

On the basis of the experimental results in previous work, a multiscale numerical modeling strategy on the failure behaviour of three-dimensional orthogonal woven carbon/carbon composites under pin-loading was presented. In consideration of the complexity of internal woven architecture, the finite element analysis at micro-/meso-/macro-scale levels was performed to exhibit the effective material properties and mechanical behaviour. The geometric models were reconstructed via X-ray tomography technology to obtain feasible configurations based on actual microstructure, meanwhile the models considered the fibers random arrangement in the yarn and voids stochastic distribution in the matrix. The anisotropic composites damage evolution was characterized by Murakami-Ohno damage theory. Additionally, for a further exploration on the practical bearing failure mode, the macro-scale open-hole plate model was established using mesh superposition method to expose the damage mechanism of each component in composites at hole edge, and the numerical predictions agreed reasonably well with the experimental results.     

CF／5228复合材料研究

用湿法缠绕技术制作了CF/5228预浸料,对热压罐固化的CF/5228复合材料的室温、高温干态和湿态力学性能进行了研究。与其它复合材料相比,M40J/5228复合材料的各项力学性能均有很大程度的提高,且具有优异的耐湿热性能,在130℃干态和湿态下,其弯曲强度、模量和层间剪切强度的保持率较高。     

Epoxy/p‐phenylenediamine functionalized graphene oxide composites and evaluation of their fracture toughness and tensile properties

In an attempt to enhance the mechanical properties of epoxy/graphene‐based composites, the interface was engineered through the functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) sheets with p‐phenylenediamine; this resulted in p‐phenylenediamine functionalized graphene oxide (GO–pPDA). The morphology and chemical structure of the GO–pPDA sheets were studied by spectroscopic methods, thermal analysis, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The characterization results show the successful covalent functionalization of GO sheets through the formation of amide bonds. In addition, p‐phenylenediamine were polymerized on graphene sheets to form crystalline nanospheres; this resulted in a GO/poly(p‐phenylenediamine) hybrid. The mechanical properties of the epoxy/GO–pPDA composite were assessed. Although the Young's modulus showed improvement, more significant improvements were observed in the strength, fracture strain, and plane‐strain fracture toughness. These improvements were attributed to the unique microstructure and strong interface between GO–pPDA and the epoxy matrix. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43821.     

Improvements in interfacial and heat-resistant properties of carbon fiber/methylphenylsilicone resins composites by incorporating silica-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The multi-scale reinforcement and interfacial strengthening on carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced methylphenylsilicone resin (MPSR) composites by adding silica-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SiO₂-CNTs) were investigated. SiO₂-CNT has been successfully prepared via the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane in the presence of acid-oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy were carried out to examine the functional groups and structures of CNTs. Then, SiO₂-CNT was incorporated into MPSR matrix to prepare CF/MPSR-based composites by the compression molding method. The effects of the introduced SiO₂-CNT on the interfacial, impact, and heat-resistant properties of CF/MPSR composites were evaluated by short-beam bend method, impact test, and thermal oxygen aging experiments, respectively. Experimental results revealed that the CF/MPSR composites reinforced with 0.5 wt% SiO₂-CNT showed a significant increase 34.53% in the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and 20.10% in impact properties. Moreover, the heat-resistant properties of composites were enhanced significantly by adding SiO₂-CNT hybrid nanoparticles. These enhancements are mainly attributed to the improved matrix performance resulted from the molecular-level dispersion of SiO₂-CNT in MPSR matrix and the strong interfacial adhesion between SiO₂-CNT and matrix resin, which are beneficial to improve the mechanical stress transfer from MPSR matrix to CFs reinforcement and alleviate stress concentrations.     

Fabrication of hybrid matrix/silane modified carbon fabric composites and study of their mechanical properties

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites are an extremely strong and light fiber-reinforced plastics that contains carbon fiber. In the present study, carbon fabrics were treated with various weight percentages of silane and were confirmed by spectral analysis (Fourier transform infrared). The treated carbon fibers were reinforced in hybrid resin (a combination of vinyl ester and epoxy at a ratio of 80:20) by using vacuum-assisted resin transfer mold technique. The composites were tested to know their tensile strength, modulus, flexural strength, modulus, and interlaminar shear strength. The hybrid matrix specimen was also prepared and tested for the mechanical properties and confirmed the miscibility by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties of hybrid matrix composites (HMCs) were studied by fracture surface morphology with scanning electron microscope. The mechanical properties of the HMCs increased with silane treatment. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47695.     

Influence of epoxy resin on the properties of maleic anhydride functionalized acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene copolymer toughened polyamide 6 blends

Maleic anhydride functionalized acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene copolymer (ABS‐g‐MA) was used as an impact modifier of polyamide 6 (PA6). Epoxy resin was introduced into PA6/ABS‐g‐MA blends to further improve their properties. Notched Izod impact tests showed that the impact strength of PA6/ABS‐g‐MA could be improved from 253 to 800 J/m with the addition of epoxy resin when the ABS‐g‐MA content was set at 25 wt %. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the addition of epoxy resin made the crystallization temperature and melting temperature shift to lower temperatures; this indicated the decrease in the PA6 crystallization ability. Dynamic mechanical analysis testing showed that the addition of epoxy resin induced the glass‐transition temperature of PA6 and the styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile copolymer phase to shift to higher temperatures due to the chemical reactions between PA6, ABS‐g‐MA, and epoxy resin. The scanning electron microscopy results indicated that the ABS‐g‐MA copolymer dispersed into the PA6 matrix uniformly and that the phase morphology of the PA6/ABS‐g‐MA blends did not change with the addition of the epoxy resin. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the epoxy resin did not change the deformation mechanisms of the PA6/ABS‐g‐MA blends. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Compatibilizing effect of styrene–maleic anhydride copolymer on the properties of polyamide‐6/liquid crystalline copolyester composites

Liquid crystalline polymer–polyamide‐6 (LCP/PA6) composites containing 20 wt % LCP content were compatibilized by a random styrene–maleic anhydride copolymer (RSMA). The blending was performed via extrusion followed by injection molding. The LCP employed was a commercial copolyester, Vectra A950. The dynamic mechanical (DMA), rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties as well as the morphology of the composites were studied. The DMA and rheological results showed that RSMA is an effective compatibilizer for LCP/PA6 blends. The mechanical measurements showed that the stiffness, tensile strength, and toughness of the in situ composites are generally improved with increasing RSMA content. However, these mechanical properties deteriorated considerably when RSMA content was above 10 wt %. The drop‐weight dart impact test was also applied to analyze the toughening behavior of these composites. The results show that the maximum impact force (F_max) and crack‐initiation energy (E_init) tend to increase with increasing RSMA content. From these results, it appeared that RSMA prolongs the crack‐initiation time and increases the energies for crack initiation and impact fracture, thereby leading to toughening of LCP/PA6 in situ composites. Finally, the correlation between the mechanical properties and morphology of the blends is discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1964–1974, 2000