The influence of sizing treatment on the mechanical and morphological properties of carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide composites

Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) demonstrate promising applications in engineering sectors, and the interfacial interaction between CFs and the matrix plays a significant role in determining the properties of CFRPs. This work attempted to study the influence of sizing agent on the properties of polyphenylene sulfide/CF (PPS/CF) composites with an aim to fabricate PPS/CF composites with enhanced mechanical properties. The results showed that the use of 2 wt% boron phenolic resin as the sizing agent favored the formation of a uniform interfacial layer on the surface of CFs. Contact angle tests revealed that corresponding sized CFs exhibited the smallest contact angle and the highest surface energy among the studied systems. As a result, the sizing agents acted as a protective layer for CFs during melt processing process, which mitigated the damage to the CFs. The average length of CFs was longer after melt extrusion process which was vital for achieving high mechanical performance of PPS/CF composites.Highlights Coating sizing agent protected CFs from being fractured during melt processing. Applying 2 wt% BPR sizing agent yielded the best interfacial performance. The tensile strength and Yong's modulus of PPS/CFB2 reached as high as 155.9 and 7618.21 MPa. The tensile fracture mode between BPR-treated CFs and PPS was cohesive damage. Carbon fibers were sized using different types of sizing agents to improve the mechancial performance of carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide composites. image