Abstract
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric-reinforced polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composites have a wide range of applications, but the interface bonding of PET fabric/PVC composites has remained a challenge. In this work, a new in-situ SiO2/tributyl citrate sizing agent was synthesized according to the principle of “similar compatibility.” The developed sizing agent was used as a PET surface modifier to enhance the interfacial performance of PET fabric/PVC composites. The morphology and structure of the PET filaments, the wettability and tensile properties of the PET fabric, the interfacial adhesion, and the tensile and tearing properties of the PET fabric/PVC composites were investigated. Experimental results showed that many SiO2 nanoparticles were scattered on the surface of the modified PET filaments. Moreover, the surface roughness of the modified PET filaments remarkably increased in comparison with that of the untreated PET filaments. The contact angle of the modified PET filaments was also smaller than that of the untreated ones. The peeling strength of the modified PET fabrics/PVC composites was 0.663 N/mm, which increased by 62.50% in comparison with the peeling strength of the untreated ones (0.408 N/mm). This work provides a new approach to the surface modification of PET and improves the properties of PET fabric/PVC composites.
Highlights
In the past few decades, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics have been applied in the fields of advertising, construction, and agriculture, among others because of their strength and modulus, good dimensional stability, and lightweight feature [1,2,3]
We expect that the sizing agent can form a well-combined interface between PET and PVC resin and provide a new method for improving the interface performance of PET fabric/PVC composites
The sizing agent was well combined with the PET filaments, and the nanoparticles were semi-embedded in the filaments
Summary
In the past few decades, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics have been applied in the fields of advertising (lightbox cloth), construction (roof cover), and agriculture, among others because of their strength and modulus, good dimensional stability, and lightweight feature [1,2,3]. To modify the surface properties of PET, many researchers have employed treatments using alkali [11,12,13], plasma [14,15,16], biological enzyme [17,18,19], and graft modification [20,21,22], as well as photochemical reactions [23,24], ultraviolet irradiation [25,26], aminolysis surface modification [27], and so on. Pu et al adopted an SiO2/shape memory polyurethane (SMPU) hybrid sizing agent to improve the interface bonding with PET fabric and PVC matrix [31]. The SiO2 hybrid sizing agent improved the interface bonding of PET fabric/PVC composites, it might adversely affect other properties of composites, and the high cost is not conducive to industrial production. We expect that the sizing agent can form a well-combined interface between PET and PVC resin and provide a new method for improving the interface performance of PET fabric/PVC composites
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