Evaluation of effect of interphase on deformation behavior of glass fiber blended thermoplastic-resin

Abstract

A third phase, engineered interphase, is introduced between fiber and matrix in fiber/glassy polymer composite to improve the mechanical properties of primary composite. Employing the three-phase model based on nonaffine molecular chain network theory, a parametric study is performed to quantify the effect of stiffness, Poisson's ratio and thickness of the interphase on the localized plastic deformation behavior in matrix, the maximum value of mean stress in interphase and matrix, and macroscopic response of the composite. Furthermore, the effect of interphase is evaluated in the composite blended with randomly distributed glass fiber. The results suggest that the interphase with lower stiffness than that of matrix is useful for the suppression of the onset of crazing in matrix without substantial reduction of the macroscopic resistance. The effect of interphase is marked with the decrease of its Poisson's ratio and the increase of its thickness. Moreover, the distance between adjacent fibers is an additional important parameter to enhance the effect of interphase in the later deformation stage.