Amorphous matrix with semicrystalline reinforcement

One would expect this to be the most favored combination of SPC production due to the largest difference between the mechanical properties of the semicrystalline (reinforcing) 

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Experimental results are presented that show that high doses of electron radiation combined with thermal cycling can significantly change the mechanical and physical properties of graphite fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composites. Polymeric materials examined have included 121 °C and 177°C cure epoxies, polyimide, amorphous thermoplastic, and semicrystalline thermoplastics. Composite panels fabricated and tested included four-ply unidirectional, four-ply [0,90, 90,0] and eight-ply quasi-isotropic [0/ 45/90]s. Test specimens with fiber orientations of [10] and [45] were cut from the unidirectional panels to determine shear properties. Mechanical and physical property tests were conducted at cold (-157°C), room (24°C) and elevated (121°C) temperatures. 

Athough this subsection does not really fit with the title of this book chapter, it has been inserted for the sake of completeness of the SPC topic. SPC microcomposites were produced by hot compaction (oniwconstituent approach) while nanocomposites by film stacking (two-constituents) using the same polymer, namely, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). It has to be mentioned that amorphous/amorphous (reinforcement/matrix) SPCs are studied less than those containing a reinforcing phase of semicrystalline nature. This is due to a small difference in the stiffness and strength between the polymers that overtake the role of the matrix and reinforcement, respectively. 

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