NYLON KEVLAR COMPOSITES .2. INVESTIGATION OF INTERFACES

The aim of this article was the investigation of the fiber-matrix interface of nylon/Kevlar composites. Both washed fibers and chemically treated fibers were used as reinforcements for nylon-6 and nylon-11. Improvements of the mechanical properties were related to the increase in the nucleating abilities of the fibers, which was modified considerably by chemical treatments. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the interface between the matrix and the fibers. The chemical treatments performed on the Kevlar fibers were found to affect the size of the transcrystalline zone and its crystal structure.