Zinc Oxide Nanowire Interphase for Enhanced Interfacial Strength in Lightweight Polymer Fiber Composites

A novel functionalization method for aramid fibers is developed to enhance the bonding of a ZnO nanowire interphase grown on the fiber surface for interfacial strength enhancement. The nanowire interphase functionally grades the typically discrete interface and reduces the stress concentration betwe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ACS applied materials & interfaces 2009-08, Vol.1 (8), p.1827-1833
Main Authors: Ehlert, Gregory J, Sodano, Henry A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon - chemistry
Materials Testing
Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods
Models, Chemical
Nanotechnology - methods
Nanowires - chemistry
Nitrogen - chemistry
Polymers - chemistry
Shear Strength
Stress, Mechanical
Tensile Strength
Zinc Oxide - chemistry
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Summary:A novel functionalization method for aramid fibers is developed to enhance the bonding of a ZnO nanowire interphase grown on the fiber surface for interfacial strength enhancement. The nanowire interphase functionally grades the typically discrete interface and reduces the stress concentration between the fiber and matrix. The functionalization process is developed to improve the bonding between the ZnO nanowires and the aramid fiber and is validated through Fourier transform IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. Mechanical testing shows significant improvement in the interfacial shear strength with no decrease in the base fiber strength. This is the only technique found in the literature for the growth of a nanowire interphase on polymer fibers for structural enhancement without degrading the in-plane properties of the bulk composite. Furthermore, it is firmly shown that the functionalization process is a necessary condition for enhanced interfacial strength, demonstrating that ZnO nanowires strongly interact with carboxylic acid functional groups.
ISSN:1944-8244
1944-8252
DOI:10.1021/am900376t