A Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction method of determining chopped fiber orientation in composites with application to extrusion through dies

Abstract

AbstractA method of determining fiber orientation in composites using wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXS) is described. Oriented crystalline fibers are suspended in an amorphous polymer matrix. The WAXS reflects characteristics of the fiber are used to determine the mean orientation and orientation distribution of the crystallographic axes representing the polymer chain relative to preferred axes located in the test specimen. The chain direction crystallographic axis is taken as representing the fiber axis, and the orientation of this axis to represent the orientation of the fibers. Experimental studies were carried out using Kevlar (poly(p‐phenylene terephthalamide)) fibers suspended at a 20 volume percent loading in a polymethyl methacrylate matrix. The Kevlar fibers had Hermans orientation factors of 0.92. Specific attention is given to how through circular dies. We have examined both extrudates and the material frozen‐in when the composite in the reservoir and die is cooled to room temperature. Fiber orientation factors, corresponding to Hermans orientation factors, 0.3 to 0.38 were obtained for the extrudates. Orientation factors for fibers within the die is about 0.45. Specially prepared completely oriented samples had orientation factors of 0.93, which closely corresponds to the orientation of the fiber.