Pultruded glass fiber/bio-based polymer: Interface tailoring with silane coupling agent

Economical glass fiber reinforced polymer composites were developed from biorenewable resins utilizing a highly automated pultrusion process. The composites were successfully pultruded with a self-built table-top pultrusion machine. The interfacial interaction of the composites was significantly improved after surface modification with a silane coupling agent. The optimum silane concentration was determined by testing the mechanical properties of the pultruded fiber reinforced composites. Composites reinforced with fibers that were treated with a 3% silane solution exhibited the best properties in both DMA and flexural tests.