Preparation of polypropylene composites reinforced with long carbon fibers and their properties

Long carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene (LCFP) composites were prepared at different fiber/resin input ratios and fiber lengths by extrusion and compression molding techniques. Fiber contents and fiber lengths were controlled by the carbon fiber/resin input ratio and screw extruder speed, respectively. The effects of the fiber content and fiber length on the mechanical properties of LCFP were investigated. The fiber length of the composites with the same fiber content decreased with an increase in screw speed. Further, the mechanical properties of the composites improved with an increase in the fiber content and mean fiber length. The fracture surfaces of the composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).