Study on the Migration Behaviors of Magnesium Oxysulfate Nano-Whiskers in Polypropylene Composites with Surface Modification.

In this study, surface modification aimed to enhance the compatibility between a hydrophilic inorganic filler and polypropylene (PP) matrix using hydrophobic treatment. Lauric acid, butyl acrylate, and maleic anhydride were employed to modify the filler surface. After treatment, inorganic filler/PP composites were produced using melt-mixing and extrusion-injection molding processes. The study focused on investigating compatibility and migration behavior between the filler and matrix. The findings indicated that hydrophobic modification, specifically with butyl acrylate and maleic anhydride, improved migration issues in nano-whisker, while maintaining favorable mechanical properties even under accelerated thermal aging. However, excessive hydrophobicity induced by superhydrophobic treatment using lauric acid led to reduced compatibility with the matrix, compromising its effectiveness. Consequently, the study revealed the potential of surface modification to enhance interfacial properties and mitigate migration concerns in PP composites for automotive applications.

Fabrication of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Aromatic Polyamide Composites and Their Thermal Conductivities with a h-BN Filler.

In this study, a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite was fabricated using a new aromatic polyamide (APA) as a matrix. Non-isothermal crystallization behaviors in the cooling process of APA resin (a semi-crystalline polymer) and composite were analyzed by using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). To determine the optimum molding conditions, processing parameters such as the molding temperature and time were varied during compression molding of the Carbon/APA composite. The tensile and flexural properties and morphologies of the fabricated composites were analyzed. Molding at 270 °C and 50 MPa for 5 min. showed relatively good mechanical properties and morphologies; thus, this condition was selected as the optimal molding condition. In addition, to enhance the thermal conductivity of the Carbon/APA composite, a study was conducted to add hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as a filler. The surface of h-BN was oxidized to increase its miscibility in the resin, which resulted in better dispersity in the APA matrix. In conclusion, a Carbon/APA (h-BN) composite manufactured under optimal molding conditions with an APA resin containing surface-treated h-BN showed a thermal conductivity more than twice that of the case without h-BN.

Fabrication of Activated Carbon Fibers with Sheath-Core, Hollow, or Porous Structures via Conjugated Melt Spinning of Polyethylene Precursor.

Using polyethylene as carbon precursor, we have fabricated cost-effective carbon fibers with a sheath-core structure via conjugate melt spinning. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were used as the sheath and core of the fiber, respectively, while sulfonation with sulfuric acid was conducted to enable the crosslinking of polyethylene. We demonstrated that carbonization and activation of the sheath-core-structured polyethylene fiber can result in a well-developed microporous structure in the sheath layer, and due to the core-sheath structure, the resulting activated carbon fibers exhibit a high tensile strength of ~455 MPa, initial modulus of ~14.4 GPa, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of ~1224 m2/g. Finally, activated carbon fibers with a hollow, sheath-core, and porous were successfully fabricated by controlling the degree of crosslinking of the LDPE/HDPE sheath-core fiber.

Fabrication of Piezoelectric PVDF/PAR Composites Using a Sheath-Core Fiber Method.

We report the preparation of sheath-core type fibers made from poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and polyarylate (PAR) using melt conjugate spinning to fabricate piezolectric composites. The morphology of this sheath-core fiber was determined through scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, by the compression molding of the PVDF/PAR sheath-core fiber assembly, we fabricated PVDF/PAR composites exhibiting piezoelectric properties. For enhancing the piezoelectric properties, we increased the concentration of PVDF ß-crystalline phase in the PVDF/PAR composite through poling post-treatments. The resulting crystal structure of PVDF was confirmed through infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. A universal testing machine was employed to measure the tensile properties of the PVDF/PAR composites. Finally, through a hydrothermal growing method, ZnO was coated on the composite surface to enhance the piezoelectric properties, which were subsequently optimized by varying the hydrothermal growing conditions.