Influence of Nano-hydroxyapatite on the Mechanical Properties of Short-carbon-fiber/Poly(methyl methacrylate) Bio-composites

Abstract

An in-situ processing combined with solution co-mixing approach was developed in the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) matrix bio-composites using hydroxyapatite(HA) nano-particles and short carbon fiber(Cf) as reinforced materials.The influences of HA particles on the mechanical properties and microstructures of the HA-Cf/PMMA composites were investigated.The mechanical properties were tested by universal testing machine.The phase compositions and fracture surface morphologies of the as-prepared HA-Cf/PMMA composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscope(TEM),field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope(FT-IR).The results show that the interface bonding between HA and PMMA matrix and the mechanical properties of HA-Cf/PMMA composites are obviously improved by surface modification of HA with lecithin as coupling agent.With the increase of lecithin-modified HA mass fraction,the flexural strength,tensile strength,compressive strength,flexural modulus and tensile modulus of the as-prepared HA-Cf/PMMA composites firstly increase and then decrease.When the surface modified HA particles mass fraction is 8%,the dispersion of HA nano-particles in PMMA matrix is uniform and the flexural strength,tensile strength,flexural modulus and tensile modulus of the HA-Cf/PMMA composites reach the maximum value.