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Effects of reactive and non‐reactive fiber coatings upon performance of graphite/epoxy composites
Author(s) -
Rhee H. W.,
Bell J. P.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.750120402
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , epoxy , scanning electron microscope , graphite , acrylonitrile , curing (chemistry) , copolymer , izod impact strength test , methyl acrylate , composite number , polymer , ultimate tensile strength
Interlayers of controlled composition and thickness were applied to commercial graphite fiber bundles by electrochemical copolymerization, and the impact and interlaminar shear strength of composites from these coated fibers were examined. Glycidyl acrylate/methyl acrylate copolymers represented coatings that were reactive to the epoxy matrix during curing; acrylonitrile/methyl acrylate copolymers represented non‐reactive systems. The reactive systems showed 10 to 30 percent simultaneous improvement in impact and interlaminar shear strengths, while the non‐reactive system failed at the interlayer‐epoxy interface and showed no improvement. There is an optimum interlayer thickness of 0.1 to 0.15 micron; the possible reasons are discussed. A detailed scanning electron microscope study illustrates how the structure of the composite fracture surface varies with the systematic changes in interlayer reactivity, composition, and thickness. Determination of the locus of failure is discussed. The observations are consistent with the mechanical property measurements.