A polymer colloidal technique for enhancing bending properties of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics using nylon modifier

To enhance the bending properties of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) by improving their interfacial properties, a new colloidal technique has been developed in this work. First, colloidal polymer containing the main components of thermoplastic nylon resin was synthesized from nylon powder and surfactants or through emulsion polymerization and then subsequently adsorbed on the surface of carbon fibers by electrodeposition. The strength of the surface adhesion between the modified carbon fibers and nylon was estimated by measuring their interfacial shear strength (ISS) via fragmentation testing. The obtained results revealed that both the ISS and impregnation ratio of nylon depended on the amount and composition of the adsorbed particles. Furthermore, the relationship between the interfacial and bending properties of CFRTP was clarified. The data by three-point bending tests showed that the contribution of the impregnation ratio of nylon to the enhancement of the bending strength of CFRTP was much larger than that of ISS.