Impact behavior of unidirectional polyethylene–glass fibers: Resol/vinyl acetate‐2‐ethylhexylacrylate interpenetrating polymer network systems

Resol was solution blended with vinyl acetate‐2‐ethylhexylacrylate (VAc–EHA) resin in an aqueous medium at a 90‐10 w/w ratio with hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) as crosslinker. Here we aimed to study the impact behavior of unidirectional laminates cast from (Resol/VAc–EHA/HMMM)/glass fiber (GF), (Resol/VAc–EHA/HMMM)/polyethylene fiber (PEF), and (Resol/VAc–EHA/HMMM)/GF/PEF (hybrid) and to study the role of PEF ply/plies in hybrid laminates toward the impact behavior, as dependent on the relative position of the ply/plies. A brittle failure mode was observed in the GF‐reinforced laminates, which tended to the ductile failure mode, with the incorporation of PEF ply/plies. Again, the impact fracture mode of GF was minimized by the placement of PEF ply/plies at the impacted side of the hybrid laminates. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 339–342, 2004