Fiber-reinforced polymer matrix

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. 

Fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites UD carbon fiber-epoxy matrix ... 

ASTM D 5528 (1994). Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of unidirectional fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites. 

Figure 5.97 Plot of composite tensile strength versus fiber volume fraction for an aligned, short fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite. The dotted lines show the corresponding values for continuous fibers for comparison purposes. Reprinted, by permission, from N. G. McCrum, C. P. Buckley, and C. B. Bucknall, Principles of Polymer Engineering, 2nd ed., p. 281. Copyright 1997 by Oxford University Press.

A.2.4 Discontinuous-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composites Sheet Molding Compound. Of the parameters influencing the mechanical properties in short-fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composites, fiber composition, matrix composition, fiber geometry, and manufacturing method will be elaborated upon here. 

ASTM D 5528-94a. Standard test method for mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of unidirectional fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia. 

Brunner AJ, Stelzer S, Pinter G, Terrasi GP. Mode II fatigue delamination resistance of advanced fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix laminates towards the development of a standardized test procedure. Int J Fatigue 2013 50 57-62. http //dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.ijfatigue.2012.02.021. 

Li, S., Thouless, M.D., Waas, A.M., Schroeder, J.A., and Zavattieri, P.D. (2005) Use of a cohesive-zone model to analyze the fracture of a fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composite. Composites Science and Technology, 65,... 

Improvements in the properties and performance of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix materials from the addition of nano- and microscale particles have been reported in the literature [8], The availabiHty of different types of nanoparticles offered the possibiHty to tailor fiber/matrix interactions at a nanoscale level. Recently, it has been proven that nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed in a polymer matrix are able to play a beneficial role on the fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion in different types of structural composites [ 11 ], as it will be shown later. Hence, regarding structural properties, nanocomposites appear particularly appropriate as means of enhancing the mechanical properties of conventional composites rather than their use as nanocomposites by themselves, except in some particular cases. 

M. M. Thwe, and K. Liao, Durability of bamboo-glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix hybrid composites. Composites Science and Technology, 63,375-387 (2003). 

D. Romanzini, H.L. Ornaghi Jr, S.C. Amico and A.J. Zattera, Preparation and characterization of ramie-glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix hybrid composites. Mater. Res. 15, 415-420 (2012). 

Natural fibers-reinforced polymer matrixes provide more alternatives in the materials market due to their unique advantages. Poor fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion may affect the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting composites due to the surface incompatibihty between hydrophilic natural fibers and non-polar polymers. The results presented in this chapter focus on the properties of palm and pineapple fibers in terms of their physical and chemical structure, mechanical properties and processing behavior. The final properties of these fibers with thermoplastics matrixes are also presented, paying particular attention to the use of physical and chemical treatments for the improvement of fiber-matrix interaction. 

Liao K, Schultheisz C R, Hunston D L and Brinson C L (1998), Long-term durability of fiber-reinforced polymer-matrix composite materials for infrastructure applications a review . Journal of Advanced Materials, 40(4), 4-40. 

ASTM D 7291/D 7291M-07 (2007), Standard test method for through-thickness flatwise tensile strength and elastic modulus of a fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite material, ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA. 

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is a common chemical used as additive in casting solution for the preparation of polysulfone (PS) membranes by the phase inversion technique. PVP is also known to be an established thermoplastic sizing in composite technology. The effectiveness to use PVP as a sizing agent to promote adhesion between inoiganic substrate with polymer matrix has been extensively reported in fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite development. 

Figure 4.2 illustrates the fundamental concept of interface and interphase in a fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite material system, as proposed by Drzal in 1983 [26]. This schematic concept may also be appHed for a biocomposite system. Once a sizing or coating material is applied to the region between the fiber and the matrix, there exists an interphase, which may be referred as a third phase. Two interfaces can exist between the reinforcing fiber and the polymer matrix. One is a fiber-size interface and the other is a polymer-size interface. 

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