Influence of Oxygen Plasma Treatment on Interfacial Properties of Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) Fiber-Reinforced Poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) Composite

The influence of oxygen plasma treatment on both surface properties of poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers and interfacial properties of PBO fiber reinforced poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) composite were investigated. Surface chemical composition, surface roughness, and surface morphologies of PBO fiber,; were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Atomic force microscopy (AM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Surface free energy of the fibers was characterized by dynamic contact angle analysis (DCAA). The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and water absorption of PBO fiber-reinforced PPESK composite were measured. Fracture mechanisms of the composite were examined by SE-M. The results indicated that oxygen plasma treatment significantly improved the interfacial adhesion of 1130 fiber-reinforced PPESK composite by introducing some Polar or oxygen-containing groups to PBO fiber surfaces and by fiber surface rjoughening. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 71-77 2009