Synergistic effect of polyfunctional silane coupling agent and styrene acrylonitrile copolymer on the water‐resistant and mechanical performances of glass fiber–reinforced polyamide 6

Abstract

Adverse effects of a high‐water absorption rate on properties of a glass fiber–reinforced polyamide 6 (GF‐PA6) composite significantly reduce performance and limit application in humid environments. In this paper, a polyfunctional silane (PFS) coupling agent with amino (–NH2) and imino (–NH) groups and styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) were added to a composite, GF‐PA6, to prepare GF‐PA6/SAN/PFS composites via melt blending in a twin‐screw extruder. The effects of SAN and PFS content on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites before and after water absorption were investigated in detail. The microstructure of the fracture surface was analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that the addition of SAN and PFS could effectively inhibit water absorption of the GF‐PA6 composites. The alkoxyl groups on PFS reacted chemically with the nitrile groups of SAN, which enriched SAN on the interface between the fiber and matrix during the extrusion and mixing process to improve the effect of water prevention. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the wet state were notably improved while preventing water from permeating the interface by only the addition of a small amount of SAN and PFS. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results showed that the addition of PFS improved the compatibility of PA6 with SAN and enhanced the interface adhesion between fiber and PA6. In terms of test result of the comprehensive performance, 10 phr SAN with 0.6 phr PFS was the best dosage.