Controlling and mapping interfacial stress transfer in fragmented hybrid carbon fibre-carbon nanotube composites

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier. NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Composites Science and Technology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Composites Science and Technology Vol. 100 (2014), DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2014.05.034Raman spectroscopy was used to map the stress transfer at the interface between high and low modulus carbon fibres in model composites when undergoing fragmentation. Both fibre surfaces were coated with two types of single wall carbon nanotubes (HiPCO and carboxylated nanotubes) in order to enhance the interfacial shear strength with an epoxy resin. For the low modulus carbon fibre this coating also enabled stress mapping at the interface. In both cases single fibres embedded in a dumbbell shaped model composite were deformed to cause fragmentation. When no further fragmentation took place the critical fibre length was calculated and converted to interfacial shear stress using classical Kelly–Tyson theory. These values were compared to data obtained using a Raman spectroscopic approach where the rate of change of stress with respect to distance along the fibre was measured directly. These data were then shown to fit a shear lag model. Two forms of single-wall carbon nanotubes were compared; namely unmodified and COOH modified. It was shown that only the COOH modified single wall carbon nanotubes increase the maximum interfacial shear stress significantly. Evidence of matrix yielding at the fibre ends is also presented and the possibility of the enhancement of the shear yield stress of the resin by the presence of the nanotubes is also discussed

Hybrid carbon fibre–carbon nanotube composite interfaces

Both low and high modulus carbon fibres are coated with carboxylated single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). It is shown that it is then possible to follow, for the first time, the local deformation of low modulus carbon fibres and composite interfaces using Raman spectroscopy. By deforming coated single carbon fibre filaments in tension, and following the shift in the position of a band located at ∼2660 cm−1 (2D band) it is possible to calibrate the local stress state of a fibre embedded in an epoxy resin. To follow the interface between the fibres and the epoxy resin, a thin film model composite is used. Point-to-point variation of stress along a single fibre, both inside and outside the resin, is recorded and stress transfer models are used to determine the interfacial shear stress (ISS). Values of the ISS (∼20 MPa) are obtained for the thin film model composites for untreated high modulus fibres. A beneficial interfacial effect of the presence of SWNTs on the surface of the high modulus carbon fibre samples is demonstrated resulting in an increase in the maximum ISS (>30 MPa) compared to uncoated samples. Similarly coated low modulus fibres exhibit a very high ISS (>50 MPa). These increases are attributed to an enhanced contact between the resin and the fibres due to an increased surface area as a result of the nanotubes and additional bonding caused due to the presence of carboxylate groups

Stress transfer in microfibrillated cellulose reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) composites

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier. NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing Vol. 65 (2014), DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2014.06.014Combined homogenisation and sonication treatments of micron-sized lyocell fibres were used to generate microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) with fibril diameters of ∼350 nm. No further reduction in fibril diameter was observed after 30 min treatment. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composites reinforced with these fibrils were fabricated using solvent casting and physical and mechanical properties were investigated. The presence of MFC in PVA increased the thermal degradation of the polymer. An increase in both the tensile strength and modulus of the composites was observed for up to 3 wt.% of fibrils; beyond this point no significant increases were observed. An estimate of ∼39 GPa is made for the fibril modulus based on this increase. Stress-transfer between the polymer resin and the fibrils was investigated using Raman spectroscopy. Stress transfer in the composite is shown to be greater than that of a pure network of fibres, indicating a good fibre–matrix bond.Royal Thai Governmen