Plasma coating of glass fibers as an alternative technology

review

English

The recent development and wide-scale use of synthetic composites, particularly those containing fibers used as reinforcements in a polymer matrix, has revolutionized materials usage and continues to accelerate. All reinforcing fibers have to be coated with a suitable interlayer (thin film) to ensure their effective functionality in fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The interlayer adhesion on the reinforcing fibers is most critical and decides the performance of the composite. The world market is dominated by glass reinforcement (87%) in unsaturated polyester (UP) resin (63%), together comprising approximately 60% of the total volume. Wet chemical processes using silane coupling agents are typically employed for commercial sizing of glass fiber (GF) reinforcements. The sizing (functional coating) should improve compatibility and form a strong but tough link between the fiber and the polymer matrix. However, commercial sizing is a heterogeneous coating of variable thickness, with only a small portion of the total sizing chemically bonded to the GF surface. In addition, the bonding is hydrolytically unstable. We have developed a plasmachemical reactor enabling the deposition of a homogeneous plasma polymer film (interlayer) of controlled thickness and controlled chemical, mechanical, and surface properties. This plasma polymerization technique3-5 can be used as a gentle but powerful tool for the surface modification of inorganic, organic, and natural fibers.

plasma polymerization; thin film; glass fibers; polymer composite

ČECH, V.; KNOB, A.; LASOTA, T.; LUKEŠ, J.

22. 11. 2017

Society of Plastics Engineers

1

4

https://www.4spe.org