Building the silicon carbide nanowire network on the surface of carbon fibers: Enhanced interfacial adhesion and high-performance wear resistance

Abstract

In order to improve the tribological properties of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced resin matrix composites (CFRRMC), in-situ grown silicon carbide nanowires (SiCnws) were established on the surface of CF. The contact angle of the modified CF with the resin was reduced by 32° compared to the original. The grafted SiCnws could bridge the CF and resin and form a network on the surface of CFRRMC, greatly improving their interfacial bonding and effectively transferring loads. More importantly, the SiCnws-CFRRMC has the better stability of coefficient of friction. Further, the wear rate of SiCnws-CFRRMC is significantly reduced by 76%, which is attributed to the formation of friction film and reduced fatigue wear. This work enriches the approach to surface modification of CF and provides an effective way to obtain high-performance materials by building networks, extending the applications of CFRRMC.