{"title":"Fully Aminated Rigid Rods Enhance and Toughen Epoxy‐Based Carbon Fiber Composites Through Molecular Combination and Novel Electrostatic Spraying Technology","authors":"Zhenwei Wang, Yu Liu, Zihao Wu, Weitao Wang","doi":"10.1002/pc.70554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70554","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) have been extensively studied; they are primarily damaged at the resin matrix and resin–fiber interface. To solve these problems, in our previous studies, the strengthening and toughening effects of fully aminated p ‐polyaramid with rigid‐rod main chains and amino side groups on CFRPs have been verified. However, this method of molecular combination increased the resin viscosity and enhanced the processing difficulty. Now we introduce a novel electrostatic spraying technology, which can uniformly disperse fully aminated p ‐polyaramid onto the surface of carbon fibers. We also compared and studied the effects of both molecular combination and electrostatic spraying on the flexural properties of the CFRPs. The results showed that by using electrostatic spraying to enhance the interface strength, it is possible to maintain excellent performance while avoiding these processing problems: when only 0.75 wt% fully aminated p ‐polyaramid was added, the flexural strength, flexural modulus, total energy, and interlaminar shear strength of the CFRPs increased by 47%, 55%, 56%, and 54%, respectively. Electrostatic spraying offers simpler operation and more prominent strengthening/toughening effects than molecular combination. Electrostatic spraying of fully aminated p ‐polyaramid offers an inexpensive and highly efficient method to increase the flexural properties and interlaminar shear strength of CFRPs.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"47 7","pages":"6241-6253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147922842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Foam‐Forming Fabrication and Performance Study of Poly(p‐Phenylene Benzobisoxazole) Fiber Wet‐Laid Nonwoven Fabric Reinforced Polyimide Resin Composites","authors":"Qinhong Yu, Xing Zhang, Xiaodan Zou, Yiting Chen, Jiahui Zhu","doi":"10.1002/pc.70552","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70552","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In this work, Poly(p‐phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) short fibers were rapidly fabricated into wet‐laid nonwoven fabrics using foam‐laying technology. The PBO wet‐laid nonwoven prepared via foam‐laying technology exhibited excellent uniformity, with a narrow pore size distribution and an average pore diameter of 74.15 μm. Various modified PBO wet‐laid nonwoven fabrics were prepared by co‐modifying PBO fibers with methane sulfonic acid (MSA) and 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), then coating the nonwovens with cellulose nanometer whiskers (CNWs) at loadings of 1%, 0.1%, and 0.01%. Each of these modified nonwoven fabrics was subsequently impregnated with polyimide (PI) resin to fabricate PBO/PI composite materials. Surface modification introduced polar functional groups (hydroxyl and carboxyl) onto the PBO fiber surfaces, significantly enhancing wettability. Compared to the pristine PBO/PI composite, the sample containing 0.01 wt% CNWs exhibited a 24.3% increase in tensile strength, reaching 41.9 MPa, and the friction performance testing revealed a lower and more stable friction coefficient, while the wear volume increased by 23.8%. The prepared composite materials are applicable to fields requiring lightweight and high‐performance properties, such as the aerospace industry and automotive industry. Furthermore, the shorter preparation process can reduce production costs.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/pc.70552","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147331351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Novel Strategy to Enhance the Mechanical Properties of <scp>UHMWPE</scp> Fiber Composites","authors":"Yangyang Yu, Wenjing Chen, Yu Zhang, Guodong Jiang, Fanming Kong, Xiaolian Wu","doi":"10.1002/pc.70518","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70518","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT To improve the surface activity of UHMWPE fiber, this study developed a novel interface transition layer. First, a designed and synthesized amphiphilic radical initiator, which can cover the surface of UHMWPE fibers by molecular self‐assembly, achieved the free radical precipitation polymerization of diacetone acrylamide (DAAM) and trifunctional crosslinking agent (TMPTA) onto the UHMWPE fiber surface, and formed chemical bonding through the transfer of free radicals to UHMWPE chains to improve the interfacial bonding strength between the DAAM polymer layered and UHMWPE fibers. Subsequently, the DAAM polymer layer reacts with adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH), condensing to form a three‐dimensional network structure. The research results indicate that some DAAM polymers had been successfully grafted onto the fiber surface via the free radical chain transfer mechanism. For the optimally treated UH‐DAAM/TMPTA@ADH fiber, single fiber pull‐out tests revealed a significant 205.8% increase in interfacial shear strength, compared to the untreated fiber, and the corresponding composites achieved a 76.9% improvement in impact strength (225.2 kJ/m 2 ), while flexural strength and flexural modulus increased by 57.9% (116.2 MPa) and 193.8% (9.4 GPa), respectively. Failure analysis indicated that effective stress redistribution and multiscale energy dissipation were realized through matrix tearing, interphase‐matrix interfacial damage, relative sliding at the matrix/interphase/fiber tri‐junction, and fiber yield deformation. This work established a rapid and scalable modification process, substantially mitigating the drawbacks of existing methods (such as polydopamine modification) in terms of dyeability, time‐consuming, and cost.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147333783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guangyu Zhu, Jinping Guo, Xi Lu, Yanxia Cao, Yanyu Yang, Jianfeng Wang, Wanjie Wang
{"title":"Dual‐Mechanism Enhanced Basalt Fiber/Polyphenylene Oxide ( <scp>BF</scp> / <scp>PPO</scp> ) Composites: Integrating Chemical Bonding and Mechanical Interlocking Through <scp>PPO</scp> ‐ <scp>MAH</scp> / <scp>CNTs</scp> Hybrid Sizing","authors":"Guangyu Zhu, Jinping Guo, Xi Lu, Yanxia Cao, Yanyu Yang, Jianfeng Wang, Wanjie Wang","doi":"10.1002/pc.70515","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70515","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Basalt fiber (BF) has been regarded as a promising reinforcement material for high‐strength composites because of its good mechanical properties, thermal stability, and eco‐friendliness. However, the inherent interfacial incompatibility between inorganic BF and organic polyphenylene ether (PPO) resin severely limits the properties of basalt fiber‐reinforced polyphenylene ether (BF/PPO) composites. This work employs maleic anhydride‐grafted polyphenylene ether (PPO‐MAH) and carboxylated multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs‐COOH) as a dual‐functional hybrid sizing to improve the interfacial interaction of BF/PPO composites based on synergistic chemical bonding and mechanical interlocking. Compared with the unmodified BF/PPO composite, the interlaminar shear strength, flexural strength, and tensile strength of modified BF/PPO composites increase by 64.0%, 39.8%, and 63.4%, respectively. Furthermore, these modified BF/PPO composites exhibit excellent flame retardancy and display rapid self‐extinguishing behavior and no dripping due to CNT‐induced carbonization and a dense char layer. These results provide a practical, eco‐friendly, and efficient approach to simultaneously improve the interfacial adhesion, mechanical properties, and flame retardancy of BF/PPO composites and enlarge their applications for aerospace, automotive, and defense applications.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"47 6","pages":"5623-5634"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147903818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shanshan Cheng, Ning Wang, Qingfeng Sun, Bing Wang, Qingguang Bao, Jingyao Feng, Zhenghui Liu, Xigao Jian, Nan Li
{"title":"Enhancing the Interlaminar Properties of <scp>CF</scp>/<scp>PPESK</scp> Composites Through the Interlayer Directional Distribution of the Core‐Shell Structure <scp>PZS</scp>@<scp>CNTs</scp>","authors":"Shanshan Cheng, Ning Wang, Qingfeng Sun, Bing Wang, Qingguang Bao, Jingyao Feng, Zhenghui Liu, Xigao Jian, Nan Li","doi":"10.1002/pc.70476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70476","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The delamination damage caused by resin‐rich interlayers severely restricts the engineering application of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite (CFRTP) laminates. To overcome this challenge, this study innovatively combines the core‐shell structured polyphosphazene‐carbon nanotubes filler (PZS@CNTs), which is constructed in situ via a non‐covalent bonding strategy without damage, with a two‐step solution impregnation process. This strategy enables the directional introduction of PZS@CNTs into the resin‐rich interlayer regions of CF/PPESK composites, thereby constructing a nano‐reinforced network in the weak interlayer areas. The End‐Notched Flexure (ENF) test demonstrated that the introduction of PZS@CNTs increased the mode II interlaminar fracture toughness (G II ) from 1254 to 2181 J/m 2 , a significant increase of 74%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and metallographic fracture analysis indicate that the toughening mechanism originates from the significant energy dissipation caused by crack deflection induced by PZS@CNTs. Concurrently, this method does not compromise the in‐plane mechanical properties—the flexural strength is increased by 22%.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147333681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Simultaneously Achieving High‐Temperature Resistance, <scp>EMI</scp> Shielding, and Mechanical Performance in <scp>CF</scp> / <scp>PEEK</scp> Composites via Interface Engineering","authors":"Yu Gao, Tianwen Yan, Rujing Shi, Yue Li, Jianfeng Zhou, Liying Zhang, Shu Zhu","doi":"10.1002/pc.70483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70483","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The advancement of structural‐functional thermoplastic composites with integrated electromagnetic shielding (EMI) and mechanical properties represents a key trend in aerospace. A key challenge is ensuring EMI performance and robust interfacial properties under the high processing temperatures of thermoplastic matrices. In this study, nickel plating on carbon fibers (CFs) was used to enhance the electrical conductivity of the composites. Sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) was then employed on the nickel‐plated CFs to improve the interfacial performance between fibers and the PEEK matrix. The results showed that introducing 2% SPEEK increased the ILSS and tensile strength of CF‐Ni/PEEK composites by 25.1% and 25.6%, respectively. Additionally, CF‐Ni‐SPEEK/PEEK composites showed an 18.8% improvement in EMI shielding effectiveness, achieving an ILSS (Interlaminar Shear Strength) of 46.4 MPa and EMI SE of 36.1 dB. These results provide valuable insights for designing advanced composites with combined structural and functional properties for aerospace applications.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"47 6","pages":"5194-5204"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147910975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ran Li, Shanwei Chen, Wenbin Yang, Huiping Lin, Yiqiang Wu
{"title":"Dual Interfacial Engineering of Glass Fiber‐Reinforced Composites: Synergistic Enhancement via Hyperbranched Polyester‐Modified Resin and Rigid/Flexible Fiber Coatings","authors":"Ran Li, Shanwei Chen, Wenbin Yang, Huiping Lin, Yiqiang Wu","doi":"10.1002/pc.70486","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70486","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites were prepared by hand lay‐up using unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) matrices in which a hyperbranched polyester (HBP) synthesized via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) core route was incorporated. Glass fibers (GFs) were functionalized to create “rigid” (HEA/TDI‐modified, m‐GF) and “flexible” (KH570‐modified, KH570‐GF) interfaces. HBP‐modified UPR composites exhibited enhanced tensile, flexural, and impact strengths by 62.2%, 17.5%, and 95.0%, respectively, versus unmodified counterparts. Introducing the rigid m‐GF interface further amplified these improvements, achieving strength gains of 96.1% (tensile), 90.9% (flexural), and 80.4% (impact). The flexible KH570‐GF interface yielded the most pronounced synergistic effect: the optimum system (KH570‐GF + 5 wt% HBP) achieved a tensile strength of 336.8 MPa (a 113% increase), a flexural strength of 622.1 MPa (93.6% increase), and an impact strength of 142.2 kJ m −2 (187% increase) relative to the baseline GF/UPR composite. Dynamic mechanical analysis confirmed increased glass transition temperatures, indicating enhanced thermal stability from improved crosslinking. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated reduced fiber‐matrix debonding and suppressed crack propagation in the modified systems. The rigid interface primarily enhanced load transfer efficiency, whereas the flexible interface promoted energy absorption via interfacial slippage. These findings illustrate that independent tailoring of rigid or flexible interfaces provides distinct pathways for performance optimization, effectively overcoming the traditional strength–toughness trade‐off in GFRPs and offering customizable solutions for aerospace and structural applications.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"47 6","pages":"5241-5254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147921684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Boosting the Low‐Temperature Tribological Properties of Carbon Fiber/Phenolic Resin Composites Through <scp>1H</scp>,<scp>1H</scp>,<scp>2H</scp>,<scp>2H</scp>‐Perfluorooctane Trichlorosilane Modification","authors":"Tengyang Zhang, Jie Fei, Jifeng Yan, Zhaoxi Gou, Peng‐Cheng Ma, Lehua Qi","doi":"10.1002/pc.70505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70505","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT At low temperature (−60°C), increased brittleness and surface grease adhesion promote significant adhesive wear in the composites. 1H,1H,2H,2H‐perfluorooctane trichlorosilane (PFOTS) was coated onto carbon fibers to enhance the tribological performance at low temperature of the composites. Compared to the original material, the shear strength of the modified sample was increased by 31.9% to 20.16 MPa, while the wear rate under −60°C was decreased significantly by 87.5% to 1.72 × 10 −8 cm 3 /J. The low‐temperature adhesive wear mechanisms were first revealed by combining experimental measurements with molecular dynamics simulations, and the simulations further clarified how a PFOTS coating modifies the tribological response of the material.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147331917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chen Wang, Jiacheng Liu, Zhen Tian, Ming Sun, Chang Ding, Cuicui Zhuang, Li Su
{"title":"Spiral Electrodes‐Enhanced Triboelectrification‐Induced Electroluminescence in Nanocellulose Composites for Self‐Powered Visualized Acoustic Sensing","authors":"Chen Wang, Jiacheng Liu, Zhen Tian, Ming Sun, Chang Ding, Cuicui Zhuang, Li Su","doi":"10.1002/pc.70504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.70504","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Triboelectrification‐induced electroluminescence (TIEL) as an emerging motion‐activated luminescence has garnered substantial interest for its potential in visualized sensing applications. However, the current practice of TIEL predominantly relies on non‐degradable synthetic polymers that severely limit their sustainability. Herein, a nanocellulose‐based TIEL composite is first developed by incorporating ZnS:Cu into a chitosan/bacterial cellulose matrix, which exhibits remarkable multifunctional features including high‐brightness (28 μW cm −2 ), ultra‐low density (0.6 g cm −3 ), environmental resilience (100°C; 70% RH), controlled biodegradability, and exceptional mechanical flexibility. Leveraging this material, a modular self‐powered visualized acoustic sensor (SP‐VAS) is designed through the integration of complementary Archimedean spiral electrodes, which can convert acoustic waves into TIEL signals without any external power supply. The optimized fringe field from the electrodes enhances acoustic‐to‐TIEL conversion efficiency, yielding a sevenfold increase in TIEL intensity. The resultant SP‐VAS is demonstrated as applicable for sound recognition and interaction. With the use of deep‐learning algorithms, five different instrument sounds were recognized with an accuracy of up to 99.36%. Furthermore, the voice‐TIEL activation of desk lamp control was achieved by combining the SP‐VAS with a microcontroller unit (MCU)‐assisted operation. This work establishes a novel strategy for developing environmentally friendly and high‐performance TIEL materials while advancing acoustic‐optic transduction technology, which shows transformative potential for applications in next‐generation intelligent robotics, smart homes, and autonomous vehicles.","PeriodicalId":510403,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Composites","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147331325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}