The effect of polybutadiene interlayer on interfacial adhesion and impact properties in oxygen-plasma-treated UHMPE fiber/epoxy composites

Abstract

In order to improve the interfacial adhesion and impact properties of ultra-high modulus polyethylene (UHMPE) fiber/epoxy composites at the same time, the fiber coating technique was combined with the oxygen plasma treatment. The UHMPE fiber was treated with oxygen plasma and thin polybutadiene (PB) coating was introduced. PB coating decreased the interfacial adhesion and increased the impact property of the oxygen-plasma-treated UHMPE fiber/epoxy composites. However, oxygen-plasma-treated and PB-coated UHMPE fiber/epoxy composites show improved interfacial adhesion, flexural properties and impact property in comparison with the untreated control UHMPE fiber/epoxy composites. Oxygen plasma treatment introduces micro-pittings on the UHMPE fiber surface. These micro-pittings improved interfacial adhesion and flexural properties and decreased impact properties through mechanical interlocking. Thin PB coating cannot exclude this mechanical interlocking effect completely and there are imperfect wetted UHMPE fiber surface regions in which effect mechanical interlocking can occur. Stress transfer through the viscous PB interlayer also contributes to the interfacial adhesion and flexural properties of PB-coated UHMPE fiber/epoxy composites. The impact property of PB-coated UHMPE fiber/epoxy composites is due to low modulus PB interlayer.