The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) coating in the presence of polyethyleneimine (PEI) of different molecular weights (MW) on the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and carbon fiber/epoxy composites was investigated. The IFSS between the carbon fiber and the polymer was evaluated by means of single fiber microbonding test. The results indicated that uses of the carbon fibers uncoated and coated with pristine, low MW PEI-treated, and high MW PEI-treated MWCNT significantly influenced the IFSS of both thermoplastic and thermosetting carbon fiber composites as well as the carbon fiber surface topography. The incorporation of low MW (about 1300) PEI into the carboxylated MWCNT was more effective not only to uniformly coat the carbon fiber with the MWCNT but also to improve the interfacial bonding strength between the carbon fiber and the polymer than that of high MW (about 25,000) PEI. In addition, carbon fiber/epoxy composite exhibited the IFSS much higher than carbon fiber/ABS composite due to the chemical interactions between the epoxy resin and amine groups existing in the PEI-treated MWCNT.

A carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) was irradiated with a high energy electron-beam. As a result, the tensile strength of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-based CFRTPs was significantly improved by gradually increasing the electron-beam dose. It was confirmed that the adhesion between CF and HDPE was improved and the surface properties of CF and HDPE were readily modified by electron-beam. It was verified from spectroscopic analysis that various oxygencontaining functional groups were formed on the surface of CF and HDPE by irradiation and we believe that strong attractive interactions took place among these functional groups at the interface of CFs and HDPE. Finally, it was conclusive that electron-beam irradiation provided two main effects on CFRTPs. One was cross-linking of thermoplastic resin for efficient load transfer from resin to CF and the other was formation of surface functional group and attractive interaction of these functional groups at the interface of fiber and matrix. These two effects showed synergetic contribution to enhance the mechanical properties of CFRTP.

This study suggests the novel thermoplastic toughening agent, which can be applied in the monomer forms without increasing the viscosity of the epoxy resin and polymerized during the resin curing. The diazide (p-BAB) and dialkyne (SPB) compounds are synthesized and mixed with the epoxy resin and the carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites are prepared using vacuum infusion process (VIP). Then, flexural and drop weight tests are performed to evaluate the improvement in the toughness of the prepared composites to investigate the potential of the novel toughening agent. When 10 phr of p-BAB and SPB is added, the flexural properties are improved, maintaining the modulus as well as the toughness is improved. Even with a small amount of polytriazolesulfone polymerized, due to the filtering effect of the solid SPB by the layered carbon fabrics during the VIP, the toughening and strengthening effect were observed from the novel toughening agent, which could be added in monomer forms, p-BAB and SPB. This suggests that the novel toughening agent has a potential to be used for the composites prepared from viscosity sensitive process, such as resin transfer molding and VIP.

In this study, the fracture behavior of a thermoplastic-modified epoxy resin reinforced with continuous carbon fibers for two levels of fiber-matrix adhesion was performed. A carbon fiber with commercial sizing was used and also treated with a known silane, (3-glycidoxy propyl trimethoxysilane) coupling agent. Toughness was determined using the double cantilever test, together with surface analysis after failure using scanning electron microscope. The presence of polysulfone particles improved the fracture behavior of the composite, but fiber-matrix adhesion seemed to play a very important role in the performance of the composite material. There appeared to be a synergy between the matrix modifier and the fibermatrix adhesion coupling agent.

The existing study on fiber reinforced of the reinforced concrete columns are mainly used to thermosetting resin for evaluate the seismic performance. as compared with thermoplastic resin, thermosetting resin is the advantage of greater strength and stand in high temperature. but, thermosetting resin has many environmental problems about recycling. In this study, better toughness, recyclability and the advantage of rapid construction than thermosetting resin used to the seismic performance evaluation. The existing unreinforced and Superex reinforced concrete compression test specimens experimented with 4 kinds about reinforced repeat. (unreinforced, 1 layer, 3 layers, 5 layers) The test results appear to be increased the maximum load of 98.37% that 5 layers reinforced repeat when compared to unreinforced

Composites of ceramic powders and an elastomer-based matrix were prepared by mixing CaCO3 powders with polyethylene and polypropylene elastomers, and their mechanical and sound insulation properties were measured. CaCO3 powders with 0.7 μm and 35 μm particle size were added to elastomers up to 80 wt%. Scanning electron microscopy photographs showed uniform distribution of the CaCO3 powders in the matrix. While density and surface hardness increased, melt index, tensile strength and elongation of the composites decreased as the amount of added CaCO3 powders increased. As more CaCO3 powders were added sound transmission loss of the composites increased owing to the increase of density. Addition of 0.7 μm sized CaCO3 powders resulted in a slightly higher transmission loss than the addition of 35 μm sized powders because of the increased interface area between the elastomer matrix and the CaCO3 powders. Composites with a polyethylene matrix showed higher transmission loss than those with a polypropylene matrix because the tensile strength and hardness of the polyethylene-based composites were low and their elongation was high.

Porous carbon from charcoal filled polypropylene composites were prepared and their mechanical properties were evaluated. In preparing the composites, crosslinking agent (sodium benzonate) were used in order to improve the bonding force between matrix and fillers. In this study, the effects of charcoal powder and sodium benzonate concentration on the mechanical properties and interface phenomena on the composites were evaluated. The mechanical properties of composites increased progressively with the decrease of filler loading. In the case of addition of the crosslinking agent into the composite, the mechanical properties were increased and showed maximum value at the 3 wt% concentration of sodium benzonate. According to the result of the TGA, the weight loss of composite according to crosslinking agent was not observed and initial thermal degradation temperature of composite reinforced charcoal was located at 390℃.

The effect of surface free energy on the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) of carbon black/thermoplastic resin composites was investigated. The thermoplastic resins such as EVA, LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE were used with the addition of 30 wt.% of the carbon black. The surface free energy of the composites was studied in the context of two-liquid contact angle measurements, i.e., deionized water and diiodomethane. It was observed that the resistivity on PTC composites Was greatly increased near the crystalline melting temperature, due to the thermal expansion of polymeric matrix. From the experimental results, it was proposed that the decrease of surface free energy induced by interactions between carbon black surfaces and polymer chains is an important factor to the fabrication of a PTC composite made of carbon black and polymeric matrix.

This pilot study evaluated fueling feasibility of sewage sludge, which contains a large amount of water content, by applying melting of thermoplastic polyethylene (PE). This study has identified a simultaneous achievement of drying and heating value improvement of the sewage sludge. The sewage sludge collected from a sewage sludge treatment plant during a winter period had a water content of 83.7 wt%, a combustible volatile content of 12.5 wt%, and an ash content of 3.8 wt%. The higher heating value (HHV) of the dried sewage sludge, before impregnation or coating of PE, was 4,600 kcal/kg. The collected sewage sludge was immersed into the melted PE solution, which had a HHV of 11,070 kcal/kg, and kept immersing with increasing reaction time. As the reaction (immersing or coating or impregnation) time increased, the water content of the sludge decreased. However, the HHV of the sludge increased with increasing the reaction time. The HHVs of the sewage sludge immersed or dipped into the melted PE solution for 15 min ranged from 6,780 to 8,170 kcal/kg with water content less than 7 wt%. This result indicates the melted PE solution can be utilized as an improvement technology for dryness and heating value of the sewage sludge with high water content. The sewage sludge impregnated or coated with melted PE can be utilized as potential fuel or energy resources.