LAUSR

Functionalized silicon dioxide nanoparticles (nano-fSiO2) were uniformly deposited on the surface of carbon fibers (CFs) using a coating process which consisted of immersing the fibers directly in a suspension of nano-fSiO2 particles and epoxy monomers in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP). The 0° flexural properties, 90° flexural properties, and Interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) mechanical properties of unidirectional epoxy composites made with nano-fSiO2+epoxy sized carbon fibers, with control fibers, and with epoxy-only sized fibers were measured and compared. An obvious increase of the fiber/matrix adherence strength was obtained with the nano-fSiO2+epoxy coating. The nano-fSiO2+epoxy sized CF/epoxy composites showed a relative increase of 15%, 50%, and 22% in comparison to control fibers, for the Interlaminar shear strength, the 90° flexural strength and the 90° flexural modulus, respectively but little e difference was measured between the different systems for the 0° flexural properties. The observation of the fracture surfaces by scanning electron microscopy of composite fracture confirmed the improvement of the interfacially dependent mechanical properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers