Physiochemical and thermodynamic mechanical behavior of injection molded sized and de-sized CF/PP composites

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, a cheaper and an environment friendly hot water treatment method is developed to de-size the carbon fiber surface without significantly affecting its chemical nature. The surface characterization of the sized (without hot water treatment) and de-sized (hot water treated) carbon fiber was evaluated from the scanning electron microscopic, atomic force microscopic, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic test data. The effect of carbon fiber surface treatment on the physiochemical, static, and thermodynamic mechanical properties was studied. Also, the impact of carbon fiber surface treatment on the long-term durability and energy of activation of sized and de-sized CF/PP composites was evaluated by using the time-temperature-superposition principle. It was found that hot-water treatment changes the physical nature of CF by giving rise to a little surface roughness. However, its major functional groups (chemical composition) do not change significantly albeit their concentration changes to some extent. The de-sized CF/PP composites showed improved interfacial shear strength, Izod impact resistance, tensile and thermodynamic mechanical properties as compared to the sized CF/PP composites.