Effect of Textile PAN-Based Carbon Fibers with Rough Surface on Interfacial Adhesion in PA6 Composites

Abstract

The effect of the surface roughness of carbon fibers (CFs) on interfacial adhesion was investigated by comparing polyamide(PA)6-based composites using a commercial CF (T700) and a low-cost textile polyacrylonitrile-based CF (TexCF). The tensile strength of T700CFs was 66% higher than that of TexCFs; however, the Izod impact, interlaminar shear, and flexural strength of the long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) composites fabricated using the two CFs were significantly similar. The TexCFs with a rougher surface had a higher wettability than that of T700CFs, resulting in a higher interfacial shear strength value of TexCF/PA6 composites despite the much lower tensile strength of TexCFs than that of T700CFs. This suggests that the high surface roughness of CFs plays a critical role in strengthening the interfacial adhesion between the CFs and the matrix: It is concluded that low-cost CFs with high roughness are promising reinforcement candidates for the fabrication of adequate LFT composites despite their low tensile strength.