Interfacial adhesion and thermal stability of high-density polyethylene glass fiber composites

Abstract

The fiber-matrix adhesion and the thermal stability of glass fiber reinforced high-density polyethylene composites with increasing content of maleic anhydride coupling agent and zinc-based thermal stabilizer have been analyzed by the single fiber pullout test and oxidation induction time. High-density polyethylene compounds containing 8% by weight maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene increases the apparent interfacial shear strength to glass fibers by 3.5x; however, the strength was reduced by 45% with the addition of the thermal stabilizer. The thermal stabilizer was found to greatly improve the oxidative resistance. The oxidation induction time of the non-stabilized compounds is less than 1 min compared to over 25 min for the stabilized high-density polyethylene blends.