Abstract
The interlaminar shear strength of unidirectional ultra-high-modulus polyethylene composites was measured as a means of accessing the level of fibre/epoxy resin adhesion for a number of different reinforcing yarns, produced by melt and gel-spinning. The fibres were shown to possess poor adhesive properties due partly to inadequate wetting associated with the inert polyolefine surface and also because of a weak boundary layer, formed by the segregation of low molecular weight impurities to the surface during fibre formation. The interlaminar shear strength was significantly increased by pretreating the reinforcement with an oxygen plasma. This improved wetting by producing oxygen-containing groups on the fibre surface and removed the weak boundary layer by the formation of a cross-linked skin. For a fixed fibre volume fraction, the interlaminar shear strength was found to be inversely proportional to the filament diameter. The other mechanical properties were shown to be largely independent of fibre/resin adhesion, with plasma treatment having little or no effect.
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Tissington, B., Pollard, G. & Ward, I.M. A study of the influence of fibre/resin adhesion on the mechanical behaviour of ultra-high-modulus polyethylene fibre composites. J Mater Sci 26, 82–92 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00576036
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00576036