Electrocoating of carbon fibres: A route for interface control in carbon fibre reinforced poly methylmethacrylate?

The adhesive strength between the electrocoated carbon fibres and a PMMA matrix was determined using the single fibre pull-out test. It was found that the interfacial fracture behaviour of all carbon fibre/PMMA model composites is rather brittle. The adhesion strength between the unmodified carbon fibres and the PMMA matrix was equal to the cohesive strength of the polymer matrix itself. Nevertheless, the electrodeposition of thin and homogeneous PMMA coatings resulted in much improved adhesion strengths.