Mechanical performance of ultra-high-strength polyethylene fibers

https://doi.org/10.1016/0961-9526(91)90015-KGet rights and content

Abstract

The mechanical performance of Spectra 900 and Spectra 1000 fibers subjected to either glow-discharge or chemical etch treatments was evaluated with respect to untreated control fibers. Tensile strength measurements were carried out at different gauge lengths. The interfacial shear strength between these fibers and an epoxy resin (Epon 815) was determined by means of fiber pull-out tests.

It was found that tensile behavior is insensitive to gauge lengths greater than 20 mm, that glow-discharge treatment improves interfacial adhesion, but at the cost of significant loss in tensile strength, and that chemical etching of these fibers in an aqua regia bath increases the interfacial bonding to epoxy resin by about 50% without significantly decreasing the fiber strength.

Tensile results for an epoxy resin reinforced with short Spectra 1000 fibers indicated that no reinforcing effect is obtained for the control. However, an increased interfacial bond strength brought about by chemical etching resulted in improved tensile performance for composite systems reinforced with treated fibers.

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