| Abstract: | The effect of fiber loading, fiber length, matrix type, and interface adhesion on mechanical properties of PET short fiber-styrenic block copolymer TPEs, SIS, and SBS, was investigated. A strong bonding between PET fiber and TPE was obtained by surface treatment of TPE with isocyanate in toluene solution. The stress of the composites, filled with treated fiber, increased with increasing strain by two steps; the modulus for the first step was higher than the one for the second step, and the composites yielded obviously at about 50% strain, with higher stress than that of matrix TPE. With increasing fiber loading and fiber length, the modulus for the first step and the yield stress increased, but the yield elongation decreased. It seems that the matrix elastomer underwent most of the deformation and that the filled fiber underwent large internal stress with little deformation during extension of the composite, which may be an important phenomenon to influence short fiber reinforcement. The stress softening of composites showed a somewhat larger decreased rate than that of the matrix with repeated stress-strain cycles, and the stress softening in the first cycle increased linearly with increasing fiber loading and increased in an S shape with increasing fiber length. In comparison with the SIS elastomer, the hysteresis of the SBS elastomer showed a big residual strain after the first elongation of 30%, and its retraction and subsequent re-extension curves were obviously different from the extension curve, which was considered to be due to the destruction of parts of the styrene hard domai in SBS. The stress softening of the composites was influenced by the matrix elastomer, as well as by the loading fiber. The interface separation around the end of a fiber under large strain, and the breaking and restructuring of hard domain in the matrix, were considered to be important sources of softening of the composite. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
