Abstract
This work studied the structural, morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties of newly designed polymeric materials using high-performance hybrid fibers to reinforce the polybenzoxazine resins. To achieve this goal, hybrid fibers consisting of chopped Kevlar and carbon fibers were subjected to a silane surface treatment, incorporated into the resin matrix in various combinations, and then isothermally cured using the compression molding technique. The mechanical performances of the prepared composites were scrutinized in terms of bending and tensile tests. By way of illustration, the composites holding 20 wt % Kevlar fibers and 20 wt % carbon fibers accomplished a bending strength and modulus of 237.35 MPa and 7.80 GPa, respectively. Additionally, the same composites recorded a tensile stress and toughness of 77 MPa and 0.27 MPa, respectively, indicating an increase of about 234% and 32.8% when compared to the pristine resin’s properties. The thermogravimetric analysis denoted an excellent thermal resistance of the reinforced hybrid composites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy proved that the functional groups of the as-used coupling agent were effectively grafted on the external surfaces of the reinforcing systems, and further confirmed that the chemical reaction took place between the treated fibers and the polybenzoxazine matrix, although the scanning electron microscope showed a uniform dispersion and interfacial adhesion of the fibers within the resin matrix. In fact, the incorporation of treated fibers along with their good dispersion/adhesion could explain the progressive enhancement in terms of thermal and mechanical properties that were observed in the hybrid composites.
Highlights
Hybrid fibers, as reinforcing systems in polymer composites, have received much attention from researchers and scientists over the past few decades, since the rapid rise in the use of strong and rigid fibers—whether they are organic and/or inorganic fibers—has led to composite materials with enhanced properties that cannot be found in single typical phase materials
It is in this context that manufacturers have introduced the use of short fibers instead of long fibers as Fu et al demonstrated with a thorough study using short glass and carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites, concluding that the elongation of the composites fundamentally depended on the average fiber ratio, regardless of whether the modulus depended on the fiber volume factions [3]
This study focused on comprehending the positive effects of short hybrid Kevlar fiber and carbon fiber loading reinforcements on the thermal, mechanical, structural, and morphological and carbon fiber loading reinforcements on the thermal, mechanical, structural, and morphological properties of the bisphenol A-aniline-based benzoxazine resin
Summary
As reinforcing systems in polymer composites, have received much attention from researchers and scientists over the past few decades, since the rapid rise in the use of strong and rigid fibers—whether they are organic and/or inorganic fibers—has led to composite materials with enhanced properties that cannot be found in single typical phase materials. The development of CFs has experienced great acceleration in the attempt to reduce costs and maintain their properties, so many studies have been conducted to be able to adapt them to their commercial demand It is in this context that manufacturers have introduced the use of short fibers instead of long fibers as Fu et al demonstrated with a thorough study using short glass and carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites, concluding that the elongation of the composites fundamentally depended on the average fiber ratio, regardless of whether the modulus depended on the fiber volume factions [3]. It is important to point out that this study could provide the scientific community with a new perception on using advanced hybrid composites in a panoply of interesting fields like aerospace, civil engineering, and military applications
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