Modification of epoxy resin by polysulfone to improve the interfacial and mechanical properties in glass fibre composites.II.Adhesion of the epoxy-polysulfone matrices to glass fibres

摘要

Adhesion of epoxy-polysulfone (PSF) matrices to glass fibres of 12-30 mum in diameter was studied under both quasi-static and cyclic loadings.A pull-out technique was used for adhesion measurement.It was shown that incorporation of PSF into epoxy resin changed its adhesion to fibres.A maximum was observed in the adhesion strength vs.PSF content dependence at 10 wt% thermoplastic concentration.The results obtained were compared with the data on the epoxy-PSF matrices adhesion to thick steel wire (d = 150 mu,m) and Nylon-6 fibres (d = 250 mum).Similar values of the adhesion strength increase (22-25%) confirmed that all the changes at the interface were connected primarily with the matrix.A new preferably non-destructive cyclic loading technique was used to test the systems under cyclic loading at varying force amplitudes,frequencies and displacement amplitudes.In this technique the interphase behaviour is characterised by two variables: by the phase angle between the deformation applied to the matrix and the force transferred by the matrix to the fibre,and also by the amplitude of this force.Minimal force amplitudes were observed for the joints with 10 wt% polysulfone.Moreover,phase-angle values for epoxy-10% polysulfone joints were minimal among all the'systems investigated.Increase in the number of loading cycles caused much more damage to uniriodified epoxy matrix than that to epoxy-polysulfone matrices.Thus,modification of epoxy resin by polysulfone enhanced its adhesion to fibres under both quasi-static and cyclic loadings,especially for epoxy-10% polysulfone matrix.The possible mechanism of the phenomenon observed is discussed.