Abstract

The effect of the crystalline structure of polyamide 6 (PA6) among carbon fiber (CF) on the mechanical properties of PA6/CF composites was explored using two types of PA6 with different spherulite sizes. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy showed that intra/intermolecular interactions were nearly equivalent for the two types of PA6. The viscoelasticities in the molten state were almost identical; that is, the molecular weights of the PA6s were comparable. The mechanical properties of the PA6 matrix with smaller spherulites (PA6a) in PA6/CF were superior to those of the PA6 matrix with larger spherulites (PA6b). Polarized light microscopy, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and polarized Raman spectroscopy revealed oriented crystals of PA6a in the PA6a/CF composite and random crystals of PA6b in the PA6b/CF composite. Therefore, the superior mechanical properties of PA6/CF are due to the oriented crystal chains of PA6, which support the overall stress transfer in composites.

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