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Interfacial Improvement of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites by Incorporating Superior and Versatile Multiscale Gradient Modulus Intermediate Layer with Rigid-flexible Hierarchical Structure

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Abstract

In order to enhance the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber (CF) and polymer matrix, a multiscale gradient modulus intermediate layer with rigid-flexible (GO-PA) hierarchical structure was designed and fabricated between CFs and matrix by a facile and businesslike strategy. The polarity, roughness and wettability of CFs surface as well as the thickness of intermediate layer in composite have been significantly increased after rigid-flexible hierarchical structure was constructed. The IFSS, ILSS, compression and impact toughness manifested that the hierarchical structure could bring about a fantastic improvement (76.8%, 46.4%, 40.7% and 37.8%) for the interfacial and mechanical properties than other previous reports. Consequently, the establishment of CF surface with gradient modulus rigid-flexible hierarchical structure via regulation of nanoparticles and polymer array would open a new, viable and promising route to obtaining high-performance composites.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51803102 and 51903129), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (Nos. 201807070028 and 201808220020) and the Source Innovation Project of Qingdao (No. 19-6-2-75-cg), Industry and Education Cooperation Program of The Ministry of Education (Nos. 201802201002, 201901078008 and 201802230009) and Opening Project of Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Functional Nanocomposites, North University of China (No. NFCM202001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Polymer Materials, School of Material Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Pei-Feng Feng, Guo-Jun Song, Wen-Jian Zhang, Hao Zheng, Bo-Wen Li & Li-Chun Ma

  2. Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Functional Nanocomposites, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030000, China

    Shao-Feng Zhou & Ya-Qing Liu

  3. School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China

    Guang-Shun Wu

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  1. Pei-Feng Feng
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  2. Guo-Jun Song
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Correspondence to Ya-Qing Liu or Li-Chun Ma.

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Feng, PF., Song, GJ., Zhang, WJ. et al. Interfacial Improvement of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites by Incorporating Superior and Versatile Multiscale Gradient Modulus Intermediate Layer with Rigid-flexible Hierarchical Structure. Chin J Polym Sci 39, 896–905 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-021-2549-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-021-2549-4

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