Stress relaxation performance of glass fiber-reinforced high-density polyethylene composite

Abstract

The article presents a study about the stress relaxation by means of time-sensitive interfacial shear stress transfer between the interface of the fiber and matrix. The behavior of stress relaxation of glass fiber (GF)-reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites is measured experimentally and then compared with Cox shear-lag analytical model predictions. Furthermore, the effect of supplemented interfacial interaction between the interface of the fiber and matrix is analyzed by the introduction of an interfacial coupling agent called Fusabond M603. In addition, the results showed that the stress relaxation behavior of GF-reinforced HDPE composite can be predicted by using a Cox shear-lag model. On examination, the experimental data and analytical model showed a favorable correlation which can be useful for future applications of the intended products made of polymer-based composites.