• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

Blend of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) and (acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylic rubber) terpolymer (ASA) having excellent balance in the interfacial properties and mechanical strength was developed for the automobile applications. Since interfacial adhesion between PC and styrne-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) matrix of ASA is not strong enough, two different types of compatibilizers, i.e, diblock copolymer composed of tetramethyl polycarbonate (TMPC) and SAN (TMPC-b-SAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were examined to improve interfacial adhesion between PC and SAN. TMPC-b-SAN was more effective than PMMA in increasing interfacial adhesion between PC and SAN matrix of ASA (or weld-line strength of PC/ASA blend). When blend composition was fixed, PC/ASA blends exhibited similar mechanical properties except impact strength and weld-line strength. Impact strength of PCI ASA blend at low temperature was influenced by rubber particle size and its morphology. PC/ASA blends containing commercially available PMMA as compatibilizer also exhibited excellent balance in mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.411-417
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• 2008

The surfaces of henequen fibers, which can be obtained from the leaves of agave plants, were treated with two different media, tap water and sodium hydroxide, that underwent both soaking and ultrasonic methods for the fiber surface treatment. Various biocomposites were fabricated with untreated and treated, chopped henequen fibers and polypropylene using a compression molding method. The result is discussed in terms of interfacial shear strength, flexural properties, dynamic mechanical properties, and fracture surface observations of the biocomposites. The soaking (static method) and ultrasonic (dynamic method) treatments with tap water and sodium hydroxide at different concentrations and treatment times significantly influenced the interfacial, flexural and dynamic mechanical properties of henequen/polypropylene biocomposites. The alkali treatment was more effective than the water treatment in improving the interfacial and mechanical properties of randomly oriented, chopped henequen/PP bio-composites. In addition, the application of the ultrasonic method to each treatment was relatively more effective in increasing the properties than the soaking method, depending on the treatment medium and condition. The greatest improvement in the properties studied was achieved by ultrasonic alkalization of natural fibers, which was in agreement with the other results of interfacial shear strength, flexural strength and modulus, storage modulus, and fracture surfaces.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2004.03b
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• pp.407-414
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• 2004

Interfacial properties between rock mass and shotcrete play a significant role in the transmission of loads from the ground to shotcrete. These properties have a major effect on the behaviours of rock mass and shotcrete. They, however, have merely been assumed in most of numerical analyses, and little care has been taken in identifying them. This paper aimed to identify interfacial properties including cohesion, tension, friction angle, shear stiffness, and normal stiffness, through direct shear tests as well as interface normal compression tests for shotcrete/rock cores obtained from a tunnel sidewall. Mechanical properties such as compression strength and elastic modulus were also measured to compare them with the time-dependent variation of interfacial properties. Based on experiments, interfacial properties between rock and shotcrete showed a significant time-dependent variation similar to those of its mechanical properties. In addition, the time-dependent behaviours of interfacial properties can be well regressed through exponential and logarithmic functions of time.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2021

The mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites (CFRPs) are greatly dependent on the interfacial adhesion between the carbon fibers and the epoxy matrix. Introducing nanomaterial reinforcements into the interface is an effective approach to enhance the interfacial adhesion of CFRPs. The main purpose of this work was to introduce graphitic nanofiber (GNFs) between an epoxy matrix and carbon fibers to enhance interfacial properties. The composites were reinforced with various concentrations of GNFs. For all of the fabricated composites, the optimum GNF content was found to be 0.6 wt%, which enhanced the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and fracture toughness (KIC) by 101.9% and 33.2%, respectively, compared with those of neat composites. In particular, we observed a direct linear relationship between ILSS and KIC through surface free energy. The related reinforcing mechanisms were also analyzed and the enhancements in mechanical properties are mainly attributed to the interfacial interlocking effect. Such an effort could accelerate the conversion of composites into high performance materials and provide fundamental understanding toward realizing the theoretical limits of interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.315-334
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• 2007

In the present study, chopped henequen natural fibers without and with surface modification by electron beam (E-beam) treatment were incorporated into a polypropylene matrix. Prior to composite fabrication, a bundle of raw henequen fibers were treated at various E-beam intensities from 10 kGy to 500 kGy. The effect of E-beam intensity on the interfacial, mechanical and thermal properties of randomly oriented henequen/polypropylene composites with the fiber contents of 40 vol% was investigated focusing on the interfacial shear strength, flexural and tensile properties, dynamic mechanical properties, thermal stability, and fracture behavior. Each characteristic of the material strongly depended on the E-beam intensity irradiated, showing an increasing or decreasing effect. The present study demonstrates that henequen fiber surfaces can be modified successfully with an appropriate dosage of electron beam and use of a low E-beam intensity of 10 kGy results in the improvement of the interfacial properties, flexural properties, tensile properties, dynamic mechanical properties and thermal stability of henequen/polypropylene composites.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.223-228
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• 2013

In this work, the grow of carbon nanotube (CNT) on carbon fiber was introduced on PAN-based carbon fibers for the enhancement of mechanical interfacial strength of carbon fibers-reinforced composites. The surface properties of carbon fibers were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were studied by interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). From the results, it was found that the mechanical interfacial properties of CNT-carbon fibers-reinforced composites (CNT-CFRPs) enhanced with decreasing the CNT content. The excessive CNT content can lead the failure due to the interfacial separation between fibers and matrices in this system. In conclusion, the optimum CNT content on carbon fiber surfaces can be a key factor to determine the mechanical interfacial properties of the CNT-CFRPs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.121-124
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• 2001

Surface-modified silica holds considerable promise in the development of advanced materials for good mechanical properties and stability. In this work, the surface and mechanical interfacial properties of silicas treated with silane coupling agents, such as Y-methacryloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (MPS). Y-glycidoxy propyl trimethoxy silane (GPS), and Y-mercapto propyl trimethoxy silane (MCPS), are investigated. The effect of silane surface treatments of silica on the surface properties and surface energetics are studied in terms of surface functional values and contact angle measurements. And their mechanical interfacial properties of the silica/rubber composites are studied by the composite tearing energy ($G_{IIIC}$). As a result. the mechanical interfacial properties are improved in the case of silane-treated composites compared with untreated one. It reveals that the functional groups on silica surface by silane surface treatments play an important role in improving the degree of adhesion at interfaces in a silica-filled rubber system.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.221-232
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• 2009

The allylamine plasma treatment is used to modify the surface properties of vapor grown carbon fibers (VGCF). It is to improve the interfacial bonding between the VGCF and epoxy matrix. The allylamine plasma process was performed by batch process in a vacuum chamber, using gas injection followed by plasma discharge for the durations of 20, 40 and 60 min. The interdependence of mechanical properties on the VGCF contents, treatment time and interfacial bonding between VGCF/ep was investigated. The interfacial bonding between VGCF and epoxy matrix was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of nanocomposites fracture surfaces. The changes in the mechanical properties of VGCF/ep, such as the tensile modulus and strength were discussed. The mechanical properties of allylamine plasma treated (AAPT) VGCF/ep were compared with those of raw VGCF/ep. The tensile strength and modulus of allyamine plasma treated VGCF40 (40 min treatment)/ep demonstrated a higher value than those of other samples. The mechanical properties were increased with the allyamine plasma treatment due to the improved adhesion at VGCF/ep interface. The modification of the carbon nanofibers surface was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM micrographs showed an excellent dispersion of VGCF in epoxy matrix by ultrasonic method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.158-162
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• 2001

The effects of chemical treatment on Kevlar-29 fibers have been studied in a composite system. The surface characteristics of the Kevlar-29 fibers were characterized by pH, acid-base value and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The mechanical interfacial properties of final composites were studied by interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$). Also, the impact properties of the composites were investigated in the differentiating studies between initiation and propagation energies, and ductile index (DI) along with maximum farce and total energy. It was found that the chemical treatment with phosphoric acid ($H_3PO_4$) solution significantly affected the degree of adhesion at interfaces between fibers and resin matrix, resulting in improving the mechanical interfacial strength of the composites. This was probably due to the presence of chemical polar groups on Kevlar surfaces, leading to an increment of interfacial binding force in a composite system.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.453-459
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• 2005

Natural fiber henequen/unsaturated polyester (UPE) composites were fabricated by means of a compression molding technique using chopped henequen fibers treated at various electron beam (EB) dosages. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS), dynamic mechanical properties, and thermal expansion behavior were investigated through a single fiber microbonding test, fractographic observation, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermomechanical analysis, respectively. The results indicated that the interfacial and dynamic mechanical properties significantly depended on the level of the EB treatment irradiated onto the henequen fiber surfaces. The effect of EB treatment on the IFSS, storage modulus and fracture surface of the henequen/UPE composites agreed with each other. The results of this study also suggested that the modification of henequen fiber surfaces at 10 kGy EB is the most effective for improving the interfacial properties of the henequen/UPE composites.