Plasma activation of carbon fibres for polyarylacetylene composites

Interfacial properties of carbon fibre (CF) reinforced non-polar structure polyarylacetylene (PAA) resin composites were modified through cold oxygen plasma treatment of CF. The effects of plasma treatment on CF were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM), and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). XPS showed that plasma treatment increased the amount of elemental oxygen on fibre surface markedly by introducing more kinds of oxygen groups. AFM images indicated that weak surface regions of fibres had been etched and removed, and the roughness of fibre surface was increased. Furthermore ILSS of CF/PAA composites was improved notably. The influences of treatment time on the plasma oxidation results were studied and optimal treatment time was determined according to the change of ILSS. The conclusion that plasma treatment is an effective method to improve the interfacial properties of carbon fibre reinforced non-polar structural PAA matrix composites, just as doing in polar resin matrix composites, can be drown.