Effect of carbon fiber surface functionality on the moisture absorption behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)‐based carbon fibers were electrochemically oxidized in aqueous ammonium bicarbonate with increasing current density. The electrochemical treatment led to significant changes of surface physical properties and chemical structures. The oxidized fibers showed much cleaner surfaces and increased levels of oxygen functionalities. However, it was found that there was no correlation between surface roughness and the fiber/resin bond strength, i.e. mechanical interlocking did not play a major role in fiber/resin adhesion. Increases in surface chemical functionality resulted in improved fiber/resin bonding and increased interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites. The relationship between fiber surface functionality and the hydrothermal aging behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy composites was investigated. The existence of free volume resulted from poor wetting of carbon fibers by the epoxy matrix and the interfacial chemical structure were the governing factors in the moisture absorption process of carbon fiber/epoxy composites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interlaminar and ductile characteristics of carbon fibers-reinforced plastics produced by nanoscaled electroless nickel plating on carbon fiber surfaces

In this work, a new method based on nanoscaled Ni-P alloy coating on carbon fiber surfaces is proposed for the improvement of interfacial properties between fibers and epoxy matrix in a composite system. Fiber surfaces and the mechanical interfacial properties of composites were characterized by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), and impact strength. Experimental results showed that the O(1s)/C(1s) ratio or Ni and P amounts had been increased as the electroless nickel plating proceeded; the ILSS had also been slightly improved. The impact properties were significantly improved in the presence of Ni-P alloy on carbon fiber surfaces, increasing the ductility of the composites. This was probably due to the effect of substituted Ni-P alloy, leading to an increase of the resistance to the deformation and the crack initiation of the epoxy system.     

Plasma treatment of carbon fiber on the tribological property of polyimide composite

The effect of different ratios of carbon fiber (CF) reinforcing polyimide (PI) and surface treatment of CF on the microstructure and wear resistance of surface layers was studied. The increase of CF content led to a gradual increase in the Interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) values, and the maximum ILSS value arises when the CF content is 15 vol%, with an improvement of 13.45% compared to virgin CF composites. The increased interfacial adhesion could be contributed mainly to the presence of branched PI at the interface region. SEM of the worn surface confirms that the plasma treatment efficiently improves the interfacial adhesion of CF/PI composite. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of plasma treatment of carbon fibers on interfacial properties of BMI resin composites

High performance continuous fiber surface modification by inductively coupled RF plasma (ICP) and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) low temperature plasma were conducted. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and other analytical testing methods systematically studied plasma treatment time, discharge power, discharge pressure, etc, on fiber surface state, surface composition, and surface shape changes in the appearance and wetting properties. The results show that after plasma treatment the surface of the fiber is grafted with a large number of polar functional groups such as carboxyl groups and hydroxyl groups. The surface roughness increases, the surface free energy increases, and the fiber wetting property is significantly improved, resulting in improvement in interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) between the fiber and the resin matrix. Finally, the surfaces of the fibers and its relationship with interfacial properties of fiber reinforced bismaleimide composites are also discussed.     

等离子接枝处理的CF/PAA复合材料层间剪切强度及其形貌研究

采用等离子技术对碳纤维(CF)进行接枝芳基乙炔(PAA)处理,研究了影响CF／PAA复合材料层间剪切强度(ILSS)的因素。结果表明,经等离子接枝PAA处理后,复合材料的ILSS有了很大提高。SEM显示经接枝处理后CF和PAA树脂之间的界面结合紧密,改善了复合材料的界面结合性能。     

Wettability of carbon fibers modified by acrylic acid and interface properties of carbon fiber/epoxy

The oxidation-reduction and pre-irradiation induced methods were employed to study the effect of acrylic acid modification on the wetting and adsorption ability of carbon fiber (CF) in epoxy solution and the interfacial properties of CF/epoxy. Systematic experimental work was conducted to determine the surface topography, surface energy, surface chemical composition, absorbability and tensile strength of carbon fibers and interfacial adhesion of CF/epoxy before and after modification. The roughness, surface energy, amount of containing-oxygen functional groups and wetting ability were all found to increase significantly after modifications. The tensile strength of carbon fibers was improved marginally by γ-ray pre-irradiation while was decreased little by oxidation-reduction modification. Consequently, the surface modifications of carbon fibers via both oxidation-reduction and pre-irradiation led to an improvement (more than 15%) of the interlaminar shear strength of CF/epoxy composites. The mechanisms of interfacial improvement of modified CF/epoxy composites are proposed.     

Effect of on-line ultrasonic treatment on the properties of carbon fiber reinforced plastic composites

The strength, performance, and application of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites are directly affected by the interfacial bonding between fiber and resin. Wet winding technology is a commonly used composite productive process, and improving interfacial bonding of composites by on-line treatment has always been the focus of attention. In this paper, an on-line ultrasonic treatment system is designed and realized, the resin content of prepregs is determined by the dissolution method; standard deviation and dispersion coefficient are also calculated. The surface morphology, internal structure of prepregs, and the component of resin are observed and analyzed using a Metallurgical Microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and near infrared radiation spectra (NIRS). The strength and performance of prepregs [(tensile strength, bending strength, tensile modulus of elasticity, bending modulus of elasticity, and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS)] are also tested. The results show the on-line ultrasonic treatment system can effectively improve the interfacial bonding of CFRP composites and enhance the strength and performance of CFRP composites.     

原位合成纳米SiO2增强阴离子聚酯型上浆剂及其对碳纤维复合材料层间剪切强度的影响

采用溶胶-凝胶法, 在侧链带有羧基的线性不饱和聚酯中加入正硅酸乙酯(TEOS), 使TEOS在酸性条件下发生水解反应, 原位合成纳米SiO₂增强阴离子型聚酯乳液(SEAPE). 利用傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)仪、 激光粒度分析仪和冷冻扫描电子显微镜(Cryo-SEM)对SEAPE进行分析与表征. 将SEAPE与聚乙二醇单油酸酯润滑剂、 非离子型表面活性剂FC-4430及抗氧剂1010进行复配, 原位制备纳米SiO₂增强阴离子型聚酯乳液上浆剂(SEAPEs), 用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 视频动态接触角测量仪、 X射线能谱(EDS)仪和纤维强力仪对SEAPEs上浆后碳纤维的表面形貌、 表面能、 碳纤维(CF)表面元素及碳纤维增强不饱和聚酯(UPR)复合材料(CF/UPR)的层间剪切强度(ILSS)进行测试与表征. 结果表明, 当TEOS添加质量分数为5%时, SEAPEs上浆后的碳纤维有效增强了其与UPR的结合强度, CF/UPR复合材料的ILSS达到40.03 MPa, 与市售环氧树脂型上浆剂上浆后碳纤维增强UPR复合材料相比, ILSS提高90.1%. SEAPEs中原位生成的纳米SiO₂分散均匀, 乳液储存稳定, 上浆后SiO₂均匀吸附在碳纤维表面, 增加碳纤维表面能, 改善碳纤维与树脂间的浸润性, 可有效提高碳纤维增强不饱和聚酯树脂复合材料的ILSS.     

The mechanical properties of LDPE composite filled with CF coated by dimethylamine treated TiO2

In order to improve the surface wettability of carbon fiber and enhance its composite interface performance, dimethylamine treated TiO2 was coated on carbon fiber (CF). The surface morphology, surface chemical state, and surface wettability of CF were characterized by SEM, XPS, and TEM tests, and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and cross-sectional morphology tests were used to test the performance of CF/Low density polyethylene (LDPE) composites. The interface bonding status was analyzed and characterized. The results show that after the surface treatment of CF by dimethylamine treated TiO2, the O/C (atomic ratio) of the surface of CF is increased, and a certain amount of nano-scale small convex micro-mechanical structure is given, which improves the surface wetting of CF. The surface of the CF modified by the TiO2 is rough; the contact area between modified CF and LDPE increases.     

Thermal transfer,interfacial, and mechanical properties of carbon fiber/polycarbonate-CNT composites using infrared thermography

Electrical resistance (ER) and thermogram measurements were used to evaluate thermal transfer, interfacial and mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polycarbonate composites. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were fairly uniformly dispersed in polycarbonates using a solvent dispersion method. The CNTs were then further dispersed with an additional time using a twin screw extruder. The effect of CNT on the mechanical properties of polycarbonate was evaluated using a thin film tensile test. For thermogram to evaluate the transferring temperature the composite was placed on a hotplate and copper wires were inserted in the composite at uniform thickness intervals. Due to the different inherent thermal conductivity of CNT, ER was measured to detect thermal changes in the carbon fiber/CNT-polycarbonate composites. The comparison of interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) was to investigate effects of CNT on mechanical and interfacial properties. The uniform distribution of CNTs affected all of these properties in carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. Furthermore, heat transfer and heat release become more rapid with the addition of CNT than the without case.     

Effect of internal mold release agent on flexural and inter laminar shear properties of carbon and glass fabric reinforced thermoset composites

The study is focused on thermoset composites reinforced with carbon and glass woven fabrics. Two types of thermoset resins, for example, epoxy and vinyl ester were used as the matrix. Varying concentrations of internal mold releasing (IMR) agent was used in the resin. The composites were cured both at room temperature and at 80°C. The flexural properties were studied using 3‐point bending test method. Further theinter‐laminar shear strength (ILSS) was investigated using the short beam shear strength test based on 3‐point bending. The flexural modulus of room temperature cured epoxy resin is higher than that of high temperature cured epoxy resin and cured vinyl ester resin. The flexural modulus is lowest for 1% IMR sample in epoxy system and the modulus for 0% and 2% epoxy are not significantly different. Lowest flexural strength and modulus can be observed for the combination of reinforcement and curing conditions for samples containing 1% IMR for the epoxy systems. Carbon fiber is found to be less compatible with the vinyl ester resin system and the addition of IMR to the resin degraded the properties further. Inter‐laminar shear strength for epoxy‐based composites is not much affected by presence of IMR, but in case of vinyl ester based composites there is a decrease in ILSS on addition of IMR agent. The study explains variation in flexural properties on addition of IMR and change of curing conditions. These results can be used for ascertaining variation in mechanical properties in real use.     

Effect of low current density electrochemical oxidation on the properties of carbon fiber‐reinforced epoxy resin composites

Changes in surface physicochemical structures of polyacrylonitrile‐based carbon fibers resulted from low current density electrochemical oxidation were monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The relationship between the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) values of carbon fiber‐reinforced polymers (CFRPs) and carbon fiber surface chemistry including elemental ratios and the relative content of oxygen‐containing functional groups were researched. SEM results revealed that the electrochemical oxidation got rid of surface contaminants generated during the production process. XPS analysis showed that the relative contents of oxygen and nitrogen increased by 446% and 202%, respectively, after the electrochemical oxidation. Carbon fiber surface chemistry was of paramount importance to the interfacial properties of CFRPs. The higher the carbon fiber surface activity, the better the interfacial bonding was, and an increase in the acidic‐group contents was responsible for a higher ILSS value. However, when the current density increased to 1.0 A/m², the interfacial bonding between carbon fiber and the epoxy resin became weak which led to the decline in ILSS values. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The interlaminar shear strength and tribological properties of PA 6 composites filled with graphene oxide‐treated carbon fiber

The objective of this work is to improve the interlaminar shear strength and tribological properties of the PA 6 composites by graphene oxide‐treated carbon fiber (CF) and ultraviolet irradiation of PA 6. The morphologies of untreated and treated CFs were characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Surface analysis showed that after treatment, the surface of CFs chemisorbed oxygen‐containing groups; active carbon atom, the surface roughness, and wetting ability were increased. The results show that the treated CF composites can possess excellent interfacial properties and tribological properties accordingly after treatment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synergetic effects of carbon nanotube and graphene addition on thermo-mechanical properties and vibrational behavior of twill carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites

The effect of carbon based nanoparticles addition, such as Multi Wall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNTs) and Graphene Nano Platelets (GNPs), on mechanical and thermal properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (CFRPs) was experimentally investigated. 2/2 twill woven carbon textile was used to fabricate the CFRP samples. The main aim of this study was to improve the weak interface behavior of carbon fibers with polymers by using its own nanoparticles in the structure of CFRPs. The obtained results from thermal tests, such as storage modulus, loss factors, glass transition temperature and loss weight percentage, were compared to reveal the influence of nanoparticles in the structure of CFRPs. The effects of MWCNTs and GNPs addition on natural frequency and damping ratio of multi scale composites were studied by using vibrational tests. The effect of nanoparticles addition on water uptake nature of CFRPs was investigated by hydrophobicity test. The results showed that MWCNT and GNP nanoparticles improved the mechanical and dynamic behavior of CFRP composite materials by improving the modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, flexural modulus, strength, ILSS, critical buckling load, and natural frequency. Furthermore, the thermal characteristics of CFRPs, such as storage modulus, thermal stability and thermal conductivity, were improved by the addition of carbon based nanoparticles. It was observed that the MWCNT multi scale composites had better performance than the GNP. According to the results of hydrophobicity test, the addition of MWCNTs enhanced the hydrophobic nature while the GNPs increased the hydrophilic nature of CFRPs.     

Interfacial and wetting properties of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites with different hardeners by electrical resistance measurement

In this research, interfacial and wetting properties of N,N,N,N-tetraglycidyl-4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane (TGDDM) epoxy resin with two hardeners with different chemical structure were evaluated by electrical resistance (ER) measurement. The heat of reaction of TGDDM epoxy with the two different hardeners, 33 and 44 di-amino di-phenyl sulphone (DDS), was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The TGDDM epoxy exhibited different mechanical properties with the two different DDS hardeners. Combined ER, wetting measurements and the microdroplet test were used for evaluating the spreading effect and interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced TGDDM epoxy composites with these different hardeners. The heat of reaction and mechanical properties of TGDDM/DDS were influenced by the chemical structure and different free volumes of the epoxy resins. The relationships between the ER-wetting results and the IFSS were internally consistent. Ultimately it was demonstrated that ER measurements makes it possible to estimate the interfacial and wetting properties of CF reinforced epoxy composites.     

Applying diamond like carbon layer on carbon/carbon composites and its effect on the deposition of hydroxyapatite coating

The biomedical application of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites is limited by lacking bioactivity and releasing carbon debris. Hydroxyapatite (HA) coating has been used to improve the bioactivity of C/C composites, but it cannot reduce the release of carbon debris effectively because of poor wear resistance property. In this work, a wear‐resistant layer of diamond like carbon (DLC) is applied on C/C composites, followed by an ultrasound‐assisted electrochemical deposition to prepare HA coatings. The microstructure, morphology and chemical composition of the DLC layer and the HA coating are characterised by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectrum. The bonding strength between the HA coating and the DLC layer modified C/C composites is examined by a tensile test. The results show that the DLC layer has a spherical morphology and provides a uniform surface for the deposition of the HA coating. The HA coating shows flaky morphology with a compact structure. The tensile strength of the HA coating on the DLC layer modified C/C composites is 6.24 ± 0.40 MPa, which is significantly higher than that of HA coating on unmodified C/C composites(3.04 ± 0.20 MPa). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of surface properties on the interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/epoxy composites

A polyacrylonitrile‐based carbon fiber was electrochemically oxidized in an aqueous ammonium bicarbonate solution with current density of up to 2.76 A/m² at room temperature. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the oxygen content increased with increasing current density before approaching saturation. The increase can be divided into two regions, the rapid increase region (0–1.78 A/m²) and a plateau region (1.78–2.76 A/m²). The surface chemistry analysis showed that the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) value of the carbon fiber/epoxy composite could be improved by 24.7%. The carbon structure was examined using Raman spectroscopy in terms of order/disorder in the graphite structure and the results indicated that the relative percentage of graphite carbon in the form of sp² hybridization increased above a current density of 1.39 A/m². The increasing non‐polar graphite carbon on the carbon fiber surface decreased the surface energy. As a result, both the surface free energy () and its polar component () decreased when current density increased above 1.78 A/m². The ILSS value had no direct relationship with the nature and surface density of the oxygen‐containing functional groups nor with the carbon structure. It is the surface free energy (), especially the polar component (), which played a critical role in affecting the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/epoxy composites. The ILSS value changed with increasing current density and could be divided into three distinct regions, as chemical interaction region (I), anchor force region (II) and matrix damage region (III). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improvement of interfacial adhesion in PP/PS blends enhanced with supersonic atmosphere plasma spraying surface‐treated carbon fiber

The effects of surface treatment of a carbon fiber (CF) by supersonic atmosphere plasma spraying (SAPS) on the interfacial adhesion behavior and morphology of polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) matrix blends filled CF composites were investigated. Effects of surface treated a commercial CF on mechanical properties are studied. Contact angle was measured to examine the changes in wettability of the CF. The chemical and morphological changes were characterized by using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. PP/PS/CF composites were fabricated with and without SAPS treatment, and their interlaminar fracture toughnesses were compared. The results showed that the interlaminar shear strength of composites has been greatly improved filled SAPS modification CF. The water contact angle of resin sample decreased 50% after addition of SAPS surface‐treated CF. Scanning electron microscopy results on the fractured surface exhibited PP/PS blends adhered well around the CFs of the SAPS‐treated specimen compared with that of the untreated specimen. This attributed to the CF interlock, and it improves the wetting between fibers and resins. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

等离子接枝处理超高分子量聚乙烯纤维

利用等离子接枝法对超高分子量聚乙烯纤维进行表面处理,在纤维表面产生活性官能团,并用紫外分析、红外分析探讨了纤维表面官能团的产生及变化。通过测定纤维复合材料层间剪切强度验证结构与性能的关系。     

Competitive wetting of acetonitrile and dichloromethane in comparison to that of water on functionalized carbon nanotube surfaces

Differential wetting of pristine and ozonized carbon nanotubes has been studied using solvents like acetonitrile and dichloromethane in comparison to the well-known wetting behavior of water. Based on their unique structural and physical properties, functionalized CNT substrates have been used due to the fact that independent variation in molecular as well as electronic properties could be controlled by understanding the wetting of these liquids on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), both pristine as well as ozone treated. The sensitivity of the wetting behavior with respect to molecular interactions has been investigated using contact angle measurements while Raman and XPS studies unravel the differential wetting behavior. Charge-transfer between adsorbed molecules and CNTs has been identified to play a crucial role in determining the interfacial energies of these two liquids, especially in the case of acetonitrile. Ozone treatment has been observed to affect the surface properties of pristine CNTs along with a concomitant change in the wetting dynamics.