Mechanical enhancement of UHMWPE fibers by coating with carbon nanoparticles

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) is composed of reinforced fibers and matrix resin, and has high specific strength and low-density materials. Because of the orientation of the fibers within them, FRPs are prone to buckling damage when under compression along the axial direction of the fiber, especially flexible organic ones. The compressive performance of FRP is largely dependent on fiber properties. the buckling load of FRP will increase with the increasing of fiber’s. In this study, we developed a way to improve the compressive and bending strength of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and vapor-grown carbon fibers (VGCFs) were coated on the surface of UHMWPE fibers by pyrrole vapor deposition. The transverse compressive strength and bending strength of single UHMWPE fibers were determined by microcompression and single fiber bending measurements, respectively. The experiment result showed that coating UHMWPE fibers with CNTs and VGCFs increased both their transverse compressive strength and bending strength. It is excepted that the improved fiber would applied in FRP for better compressive performance.