Improvement in mechanical,electrical, and shape memory properties of the polystyrene-based carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites containing carbon nanotubes

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers based on polystyrene matrix containing elastomer and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were produced by compression molding. The effects of carbon fabric (CF) concentration and silane treatment on the morphology, mechanical, electrical, and shape memory properties of the multilayer composites were investigated. The SEM analyses showed that fibers of the silane-treated CFs were more homogeneously covered with the polymer layers than the untreated CFs. The tensile strength and modulus of the composites increased by 521% and 125%, respectively, with an increasing number of CF plies from one to five. Upon silane treatment, the tensile strength of the multilayer composite improved by 26%, and the tensile modulus decreased by 18.4%. Electrical conductivities of the composites were in the semiconductor region due to the presence of both CNTs and CFs. 100% shape recovery less than a minute recovery time was obtained for all the composites with electrically triggered bending test.     

Morphology and properties of polystyrene/agave fiber composites and foams

In this work, agave fibers were blended with polystyrene to produce foamed and unfoamed composites. The effect of fiber size and density reduction on the morphological, thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties, as well as crystallinity and water absorption kinetics of the composites was assessed. The results show that Young's modulus and tensile strength increased with increasing fiber content, but decreased with density reduction. Increasing fiber content and decreasing the size of the fibers both increased crystallinity of the composites. Finally, water uptake and diffusion coefficient were found to increase with increasing fiber content for all sizes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Preparation and dielectric properties of (Ba0.5Sr0.4Ca0.1)TiO3/polystyrene composites

Polymer composites with polystyrene (PS) as matrix and (Ba_0.5Sr_0.4Ca_0.1)TiO₃ (BSCT) as fillers are prepared by solution casting method. It is found that the dielectric constant of the prepared BSCT/PS composites increases with increasing filler content over the frequency range from 100 Hz to 500 MHz. And the dielectric properties of the composites show a good temperature independency over the range of ?30°C to 80°C. For the composite with 50 vol % filler content, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss are comparable with the literature values reported for other PS composites used for microwave substrate. Several theoretical models are used to compare with the experimental data of the dielectric constant of the composites. The microstructure and thermal properties of the composites were also studied. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41398.     

Ultrasonic welding of all-polypropylene composites

In this study, the mechanical properties of ultrasonic welded lap joints of all-polypropylene composite (APPC) were investigated and compared to the interlaminar properties of the composite sheet itself. The process control parameter was welding time: welded samples were prepared with an ultrasonic welding machine in the 0.1–1.0 second time range. In most cases, the shear strength of the welded samples exceeded that of the unwelded APPC. Although it was found that during the ultrasonic welding process, the reinforcing tapes partially melted in the welding zone (WZ), the seam remained strong enough because the heat released and the pressure applied during the welding process further improved the consolidation of the APPC layers. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Applied Polymer Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48799.     

Preparation and properties of organic–inorganic hybrid composites based on polystyrene and an incompletely condensed polyvinylsilsesquioxane oligomer

An incompletely condensed polyvinylsilsesquioxane (PVSQ) oligomer containing abundant silanol groups was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, ¹H‐NMR, ²⁹Si‐NMR, and MALDI‐TOF‐MS. Polystyrene/polyvinylsilsesquioxane (PS/PVSQ) hybrid composites were prepared by an in situ bulk polymerization. The hybrid composites showed higher T_g, T_d, and char yield than PS homopolymer and without mechanical loss. The improvements in the properties of PS/PVSQ hybrid composites can be ascribed to the crosslinking function of PVSQ by silanol condensation in later processing. The hybrids showed different morphology from discrete microstructure to continuous network depending on the concentration of PVSQ. Because of the surface enrichment, a PVSQ protection layer was formed, which made the hybrid surface more hydrophobic. The structure and the reaction mechanism of PS/PVSQ hybrid composites were also investigated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Structural and mechanical properties of YBCO‐polystyrene composites

Microcrystalline powders of yttrium barium copper oxide [YBa₂Cu₃O₇] have been prepared by conventional ceramic preparation technique. The powder belong to orthorhombic symmetry with unit cell dimensions ‘a’=3.8214 Å, ‘b’=3.8877 Å and ‘c’=11.693 Å. XRD and SEM studies revealed that its particle size is in the micrometer range. Micro composites of polystyrene with different loading of yttrium barium copper oxide fillers were prepared by melt mixing in a brabender plasticorder at a rotor speed of 60 rpm. The lattice parameters of the constituent phases are the same in all the composites. Mechanical properties such as stress–strain behavior, Young's modulus, and tensile strength were studied as a function of filler loading. Addition of filler enhances the Young's modulus of the polymer. Because of the poor filler‐matrix adhesion, tensile strength and strain at break decreases with filler loading. To explore more carefully the degree of interfacial adhesion between the two phases, the results were analyzed by using models featuring an adhesion parameter. Finally experimental results were compared with theoretical predictions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Miscibility,UV resistance,thermal degradation,and mechanical properties of PMMA/SAN blends and their composites with MWCNTs

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (PMMA/SAN) blends, with varying concentrations, were prepared by melt‐mixing technique. The miscibility is ensured by fixing the acrylonitrile (AN) content of styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) as 25% by weight. The blends were transparent as well. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) studies did not reveal any specific interactions, supporting the well accepted ‘copolymer repulsion effect’ as the driving mechanism for miscibility. Addition of SAN increased the stability of PMMA towards ultraviolet (UV) radiations and thermal degradation. Incorporation of even 0.05% by weight of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) significantly improved the UV absorbance and thermal stability. Moreover, the composites exhibited good strength and modulus. However, at higher concentrations of MWCNTs (0.5 and 1% by weight) the thermo‐mechanical properties experienced deterioration, mainly due to the agglomeration of MWCNTs. It was observed that composites with 0.05% by weight of finely dispersed and well distributed MWCNTs provided excellent protection in most extreme climatic conditions. Thus, PMMA/SAN/MWCNTs composites can act as excellent light screens and may be useful, as cost‐effective UV absorbers, in the outdoor applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43628.     

Modification of rubber powder with peroxide and properties of polypropylene/rubber composites

Waste tire powder was functionalized in the presence of various concentrations of allylamine and benzoyl peroxide. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies confirmed the presence of allylamine on the surface of the rubber powder. The surface energy of the functionalized rubber powder revealed that the introduction of allylamine onto the rubber powder surface increased the surface activity. Improvements in the tensile strength, elongation at break, and storage modulus were observed for polypropylene/modified rubber powder/maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene, and this was attributed to an improvement in the compatibility due to the chemical interaction between the rubber powder and compatibilizer. Evidence for the reaction between the rubber surface and compatibilizer was observed in Fourier transform infrared studies. This peroxide‐initiated monomer‐grafting technique is feasible for large‐scale processes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 2237–2243, 2007     

Ultrasonic characterization of conductive epoxy resin/polyaniline composites

This study presents the ultrasonic characterization of conductive epoxy resin (ER)/polyaniline (PANI) composites. The prepared PANI is mixed with ER matrix at weight percentages of 5%, 10%, and 15% for preparing the ER/PANI composites. The effects of PANI amount on the mechanical properties of ER/PANI composites are investigated by ultrasonic pulse‐echo‐overlap method. Also, electrical conductivity, ultrasonic wave velocity and ultrasonic micro‐hardness values of ER/PANI composites are correlated. Experimental results show that there is an excellent correlation between ultrasonic micro‐hardness and ultrasonic shear wave velocity. Also, the results of ultrasonic velocities and elastic constants values illustrate that the appropriate combination ratio is 95 : 5 for ER and PANI in ER/PANI composites. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42748.     

Synthesis of iron oxides intercalated montmorillonite and α‐zirconium phosphate particles and their applications in polystyrene composites

Three kinds of particles of organically modified montmorillonite (OMT) intercalated with iron oxides (Fe‐OMT), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and ethylamine (EA)‐modified zirconium phosphate (ZrP) intercalated with iron oxides, named as Fe‐ZrP(CTAB) and Fe‐ZrP(EA), respectively, were synthesized through a simple route. Characterization of these particles showed that they had a mesoporous lamellar structure with high specific surface area and mesoporous volume. The influence of these particles on the thermal properties and combustion effluents of polystyrene (PS) were comparatively studied with the widely used OMT. The results suggested that the presence of Fe‐OMT, Fe‐ZrP(CTAB), and Fe‐ZrP(EA) imparted PS with an increased thermal degradation onset temperature and a higher glass transition temperature, but they could not increase the thermo‐oxidative stability remarkably as OMT did. Meanwhile, Fe‐ZrP(CTAB) and Fe‐ZrP(EA) exhibited stronger acidity and higher efficiency in preventing the condensed phase oxidation than either OMT or Fe‐OMT, since they imparted the PS composites with a higher ratio of CO/CO₂ in the combustion effluents. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42737.     

Effect of woody biomass surface free energy on the mechanical properties and interface of wood/polypropylene composites

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of surface free energy of wood flour (WF) and silanized WF on the mechanical properties and interface of wood/polypropylene (PP) composites. The contact angles of three probe liquids against unmodified and modified spruce WF were tested by capillary rise method based on the Washburn equation. Then the surface free energy and its corresponding dispersion and polar components were calculated according to the method developed by Owens–Wendt–Kaelble. The tensile strength and flexural strength of the wood/PP composite samples made with unmodified and modified WF were tested and the flexural fracture surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the surface free energy of WF increased from 26.0 to 36.1?mJ/m², which was higher than that of PP (29.4?mJ/m²), and its corresponding polar component decreased from 13.1 to 4.4?mJ/m², and the dispersion component increased from 12.9 to 31.7?mJ/m² after the modification with 4 wt.% vinyltriethoxy silane, which makes it possible for spreading of PP on the surface of WF, the tensile strength and flexural strength of wood/PP composites made with modified WF were obviously improved. In addition, the improved compatibility between WF and PP was well confirmed by SEM.     

Ultrasonic improvement of the compatibility and rheological behavior of high‐density polyethylene/polystyrene blends

The effects of ultrasonic oscillations on the rheological behavior, mechanical properties, and morphology of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)/polystyrene (PS) blends were studied. The experimental results show that the die pressure and apparent viscosity of HDPE/PS blends are remarkably reduced in the presence of ultrasonic oscillations and that mechanical properties of the blends are improved. The particle size of the dispersed phase in HDPE/PS blends becomes smaller, its distribution becomes narrower, and the interfacial interaction of the blends becomes stronger if the blends are extruded in the presence of ultrasonic oscillations. Ultraviolet spectra and Soxhlet extraction results show the formation of a polyethylene‐PS copolymer during extrusion in the presence of ultrasonic oscillations, which improves the compatibility of HDPE/PS blends. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 23–32, 2002     

Microwave properties of selected thermoplastic conducting composites

Thermoplastic conducting composites of polyparaphenylene diazomethine (PPDA), polythiophene (PTH), poly‐3,4‐Ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT), and polyaniline (PANI) with polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU) were prepared. Conducting composites were prepared by in situ polymerization of thiophene, ethylene dioxy thiophene, and aniline in the presence of polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane using FeCl₃ as the oxidizing agent. PPDA composites were prepared by dispersing PPDA powder in the polymer solution followed by casting. The microwave properties of all the composites were studied in the S band using Vector Network Analyzer and the best composite was selected based on the dielectric properties for microwave applications. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

氧化物-非氧化物复合耐火材料高温性能的研究

对氧化物-非氧化物复合材料(如ZCM-SiC,ZCM-BN,O’-Sialon-ZrO2,β-Sialon-Al2O3等)的高温性能(强度、抗热震性、抗氧化性等)进行了研究。结果表明(1)所研究的氧化物-非氧化物复合材料的高温强度明显优于碳结合材料的高温强度。(2)在氧化物基质中引入非氧化物,可提高材料的抗热震性。(3)在非氧化物基质中引入氧化物可明显改善材料的抗氧化性。     

Preparation and properties of polystyrene/SiCw/SiCp thermal conductivity composites

The silicon carbide whisker (SiCw) and silicon carbide particle (SiCp) were employed to prepare polystyrene/silicon carbide whisker/silicon carbide particle (PS/SiCw/SiCp) thermal conductivity composites, and the titanate coupling reagent of NDZ‐105 was introduced to functionalize the surface of fillers. The thermal conductive coefficient λ improved from 0.18 W/mK for native PS to 1.29 W/mK for the composites with 40% volume fraction of SiCw/SiCp (volume fraction, 3 : 1) hybrid fillers. Both the thermal decomposition temperature and dielectric constant of the composites increased with the addition of SiCw/SiCp hybrid fillers. At the same addition of SiCw/SiCp hybrid fillers, the surface modification of hybrid fillers by NDZ‐105 could improve the thermal conductivity and the mechanical properties of the composites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Enhancement of the surface and bulk mechanical properties of polystyrene through the incorporation of raw multiwalled nanotubes with the twin‐screw mixing technique

In this article, we present the effects of incorporated multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs) on a metal surface and the bulk mechanical properties of as‐synthesized polystyrene (PS)–MWNT composites prepared with the twin‐screw mixing technique. The MWNTs used for preparing the composites were raw compounds that were not treated with any surface modifications. The morphology for the dispersion capability of the MWNTs in the PS matrix was subsequently characterized with transmission electron microscopy. Surface mechanical property studies (i.e., wear resistance and hardness) showed that the integration of MWNTs led to a distinct increase in the wear resistance and also the micro/nanohardness with up to a 5 wt % MWNT loading in the composites. Moreover, the enhancement of the wear resistance of the as‐prepared composites, in comparison with pure PS, was further identified with scanning electron microscopy observations of the surface morphology after testing. On the other hand, for bulk mechanical property studies (i.e., the tensile strength and flexural strength), the composites containing a 3 wt % concentration of MWNTs in the PS matrix exhibited the best performance with respect to the tensile strength and flexural strength. This means that this composition of MWNTs exhibited good compatibility with the PS matrix, and this can be attributed to the π–π interacting forces existing between the aromaticity of the MWNTs and PS matrix. Furthermore, at higher MWNT loadings (e.g., 5 wt %), raw MWNTs were aggregated in the polymer matrix, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. Also, this led to an obvious decrease in the tensile strength and flexural strength. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

The ultrasound‐based interfacial treatment of aramid fiber/epoxy composites

The quality of interfacial adhesion of aramid/epoxy composites affects the mechanical performance of the material, and thus there is a need to improve the condition by using the ultrasound‐based interfacial treatment. To do so, an ultrasonic transducer has been developed and evaluated under various operational conditions when it is installed in the winding system. It has demonstrated several key characteristics such as low power, high amplitude (more than 80 μm), and continuous working (more than 8 h) without water‐cooling. Subsequently, experiments were carried out to determine the mechanical performance of the polymer material with and without ultrasound treatment, showing that the ultrasonic treatment has improved the interfacial performance up to 10%, compared with those without any ultrasound‐treatment. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Fabrication of alumina based electrically conductive polymer composites

Novel electrically conductive composites were synthesized by incorporating Cu coated alumina (Cu‐Al₂O₃) powder prepared via electroless plating technique as filler (0–21wt %) into polystyrene‐b‐methylmethacrylate (PS‐b‐PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) matrices. XRD analysis depicted maximum Cu crystallite growth (26.116 nm～ plating time 30 min) onto Al₂O₃ along with a significant change in XRD patterns of composites with Cu‐Al₂O₃ inclusion. SEM–EDX analyses exhibited uniform Cu growth onto Al₂O₃ and confirmed presence of Cu, Al, Pd in Cu‐Al₂O₃, and C, O, Al, Cu, and Pd in PS‐b‐PMMA and PS composites. Increasing filler loadings exhibited increased electrical conductivity (5.55 × 10^?5S/cm for PS‐b‐PMMA; 5.0 × 10^?6S/cm for PS) with increased Young's modulus (1122MPa for PS‐b‐PMMA; 1053.9MPa for PS) and tensile strength (27.998MPa for PS‐b‐PMMA; 30.585MPa for PS) and decreased % elongation. TGA demonstrated increased thermal stability and DTG revealed two‐step degradation in composites while DSC depicted pronounced increment in T_g of Cu‐Al₂O₃/PS‐b‐PMMA with increased filler loading. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42939.     

铝炭复合材料的机械性能

对影响铝炭复合材料机械性能的诸因素，如气孔率、结合剂种类及用量、焙烧温度、石墨用量等进行了实验研究。     

Electrical and mechanical properties of some polymeric composites

Two unsaturated polyester resins based on poly[propylene‐phthalate‐hexane‐maleate] (PE1) and poly[oxydiethylene‐phthalate‐hexane‐maleate] (PE2) were prepared and crosslinked with styrene monomer. The structure of the prepared polyesters was detected using IR and NMR. The thermal behavior of the styrenated polyesters was determined using differential scanning calorimetry. The dielectric properties for the PE1 and PE2 styrenated polyesters and their mixtures with different ratios were also studied with a frequency range of 100 Hz to 100 kHz at room temperature (≈25°C). The mixture containing a 50/50 ratio of PE1/PE2 possessed the most promising dielectric properties. Thus, this sample was chosen along with the two separate styrenated polyesters to be loaded with three different types of fillers: calcium carbonate, clay, and quartz. This investigation led to the conclusion that the sample containing 50/50 PE1/PE2 loaded with 60–70% clay possessed the most promising dielectric properties. The compressive and tensile strength values were also studied for PE1, PE2, and their 50/50 mixture filled with the three types of fillers with the recommended concentrations (60 and 70%). The results indicated that the quartz composite (60%) had the best mechanical properties with respect to the clay and calcium carbonate. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 1167–1180, 2002