An investigation of carbon fiber/polyphenylene sulfide adhesion

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:441521

Fisher, G S; Drzal, L T ^[1]

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1. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)

The level of adhesion between reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic matrix can have a strong effect on composite mechanical properties. In composites of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) with carbon fibers, Phillips Petroleum Company has reported an increase in transverse tensile strength from 30 MPa to 74 MPa and an increase in transverse flexural strength from 44 to 141 MPa when extrusion grade PPS resin is replaced with a composite grade resin. Since transverse composite properties are particularly sensitive to adhesion, it was suspected that improved fiber/matrix adhesion could be responsible for the improved mechanical properties. Several factors can affect the adhesion between carbon fibers and a semicrystalline thermoplastic such as PPS. These factors include fiber surface structure and chemistry, adsorption of matrix onto fibers, chemical bonding between fiber and matrix, and morphology of the matrix near the fibers. The objectives of this study were to determine the interfacial shear strengths of several types of carbon fibers with both grades of PPS and to determine which factors affect fiber/matrix adhesion. This will allow the authors to determine whether the differences in composite mechanical properties can be correlated to different levels of adhesion and to identify the key factor(s) that lead to any differences in adhesion.

• OSTI ID: 441521
• Report Number(s): CONF-960214--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ADHESION
CARBON FIBERS
FLEXURAL STRENGTH
POLYPHENYLS
REINFORCED PLASTICS
THERMOPLASTICS