Paper number 577

EXPERIMENTAL DETECTION OF INTERPHASES IN GLASS FIBRE/POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITES

Gisela Pompe and Edith Mäder

Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Str. 6, D-01069 Dresden, Germany

Summary The crystallization and melting behaviour of polypropylene (PP) in continuous glass fibre-reinforced composites at fibre content of 50 vol. % were investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry. A pronounced different thermal behaviour of composites with different sizings was detected for isothermal crystallization at 132°C. In composites with unsized fibres the PP matrix crystallized at a high rate and a short induction time in comparison to the behaviour in pure PP. A two step PP crystallization was observed in composites contained fibres with sizing prepared with a PP film former. The behaviour can be discussed as transcrystallization on the unsized and special sized fibre surface and as spherulitic crystallization in the bulk PP. Using the three phase model the thickness of the transcrystalline PP interphase was estimated to about 1 micrometer for special sized fibres and 3 micrometer for unsized fibres.
Keywords sizing, glass fibre, polypropylene, dynamic and isothermal crystallization, three phase model, thickness of interphase.

Theme : Interface and Interphase ; Physical Properties

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