Effect of sizing agent on properties of basalt fiber/blended resin matrix composites

Basalt fiber composites are beneficial for electrical equipment because of their low weight, strong strength, high temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance. Three different sizing agents were developed to modify basalt fibers in order to improve the interface bonding state of basalt fiber composites. The morphology, composition, and surface energy of the modified fibers were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, contact angle analysis, and other methods. The findings demonstrated that the sizing agent can be well adsorbed on the fiber surface, and the modification effect was best at a polyurethane lotion concentration of 1wt%. The mechanical properties of the composite, including flexural strength, flexural modulus, tensile strength, and interlaminar shear strength, were increased by 21.05%, 31.46%, 13.89%, and 41.46%, respectively. In terms of insulation performance, the breakdown strength can be increased by 31.73%, and the leakage current and dielectric loss factor can be reduced by 22.76% and 12.32%, respectively. The maximum decomposition rate and storage modulus of the composites dropped, while the glass transition temperature rose, according to the TGA and DMA data following the sizing agent treatment.