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Long discontinuous carbon fibre/polypropylene composites for high volume structural applications

Harper, L.T.; Burn, D.T.; Johnson, Michael S.; Warrior, N.A.

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Authors

LEE HARPER LEE.HARPER@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Associate Professor - Composites Manufacturing

D.T. Burn

Michael S. Johnson

NICHOLAS WARRIOR NICK.WARRIOR@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Head of Research Division



Abstract

A processing route is presented to manufacture discontinuous carbon fibre reinforced polypropylene (CF.PP) composites, using much longer fibre lengths (25mm) and higher volume fractions (up to 45%) than previously reported in the literature. Carbon fibre tows are coated with different ratios of polypropylene, blended with a maleic anhydride coupling agent, to investigate the influence of the interfacial shear strength at the microscale on the macroscale composite properties. Improvements in the tensile performance at the macroscale (70% increase) are not as high as those reported for the interfacial shear strength at the microscale (300%), following the addition of the coupling agent. Consequently, the tensile strength of the CF.PP material is only 45% of values reported for carbon fibre/epoxy systems, however, the tensile stiffness is comparable. This demonstrates the potential for using CF.PP for structural applications, following further process optimisation to overcome the current high levels of porosity (3.3% at 0.45Vf) to improve the tensile strength.

Citation

Harper, L., Burn, D., Johnson, M. S., & Warrior, N. (in press). Long discontinuous carbon fibre/polypropylene composites for high volume structural applications. Journal of Composite Materials, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021998317722204

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 1, 2017
Online Publication Date Jul 26, 2017
Deposit Date Aug 3, 2017
Publicly Available Date Aug 3, 2017
Journal Journal of Composite Materials
Print ISSN 0021-9983
Electronic ISSN 1530-793X
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0021998317722204
Keywords Compression moulding, Discontinuous fibres, Thermoplastic, Carbon fibre
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/874469
Publisher URL http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0021998317722204
Additional Information Copyright © 2017 by SAGE Publications
Contract Date Aug 3, 2017

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