Investigation on interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite

• Main Author: Thum, Jacky Hin
• Other Authors: Alfred Tok Iing Yoong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials::Composite materials
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/158735
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Carbon fibre reinforced composite is widely used in industries owing to its high strength to weight ratio. To maximise the composite performance, it requires a high interfacial bonding between the fibres and polymer matrix. A poor fibre-matrix interfacial adhesion will lead to a significant loss in the mechanical properties of the composite. Thus, sizing is commonly applied on the fibre’s surface to facilitate fibre-matrix adhesion. In the present study, composite processing and investigation of the fibre-matrix interface are focused on. The composite processing comprises two main stages, namely the preparation of unidirectional (UD) pre-impregnated composite (prepreg) and UD composite laminate consolidation using the compression moulding technique. For both prepreg and composite laminate processing, processing parameters were optimised, and processing conditions were established to achieve high quality composites. These parameters include fibre areal weight, amount of polycarbonate matrices and applied pressure and processing time. Commercially available carbon fire with epoxy sizing (Torayca UD) was used as a benchmark to evaluate the tailored performance of thermoplastic sized carbon fibre reinforced polycarbonate composites, from Deakin University. The fibre-matrix interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties were investigated through transverse and longitudinal tensile and flexural tests, in tandem with scanning electron microscopy analysis of the composite fracture surface. The results of the testing and analysis provide a deep understanding of the effects of different fibre sizing for carbon fibres on fibre-matrix adhesion and the mechanical performance of the carbon fibre reinforced polycarbonate composites.