Compaction and Consolidation of Aramid and Composite Fibers. 1. Compaction of Aramid Fibers

The transverse compaction and consolidation of various aramid fibers used as a reinforcement of plastics are studied with the aim to assess the behavior of the fibers during their processing. The transverse deformation of fiber bundles is considered in the context of viscoplastic flow of the fiber-forming polymer squeezed out into the interfiber space upon the contact interaction of the fibers. This process is analyzed as a flow of a polymer melt having a certain viscosity. A gradual increase in the viscosity with development of transverse deformations is revealed, which corresponds to the morphology of fibers of the skin-core type. It is found that, under these conditions, the transverse deformation and sintering of Terlon fibers are insignificant compared with that of SVM fibers, therefore, they are preferably used for reinforcing heat-resistant thermoplastics.