Effect of carbon fiber surface modification on their interfacial interaction with polysulfone

Abstract

Polysulfone-based composites reinforced with carbon fibers (CF) were obtained by the polymer solution impregnation method. The effect of carbon fibers surface modification on the fiber-matrix interaction in the composites was studied. It was found that thermal oxidation has a strong effect on the chemical composition and functional groups on the carbon fibers surface. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the surface modification at temperatures up to 500 °C results in the formation of hydroxyl COH, ethereal COC, carboxyl COOH, carbonyl CO and epoxy groups on the CF surface. A considerable increase in the interlaminar shear strength of the composites reinforced with modified fibers was observed. Keywords: Carbon fibers, Surface modification, Functional groups, Polysulfone