Effects of Glass and Carbon Fiber on Nylon 6,6 Crystallization

ABSTRACTThe effects of addition of glass fiber and HMS4 carbon fiber on the crystallization of nylon 6,6 has been investigated using DSC and polarized optical Microscopy (POM). DSC observations indicate that HMS4 fiber lowers the supercooling required to initiate crystallization. A transcrystalline layer is also observed in the near-fiber region of carbon fiber-reinforced composites after DSC. The presence of transcrystallinity and the earlier onset of crystallization for this composite are due to heterogeneous nucleation on carbon fiber surfaces. DSC Measurements of nylon 6,6 with glass fibers show supercoolings similar to those of neat nylon 6,6. Transcrystallinity is also absent in the glass-reinforced composites. These glass fibers appear to be weak nucleation catalysts. Different transcrystalline layer thickness is found to be influenced by thermal processing condition. In addition to transcrystallinity, the HMS4 carbon fiber also influences the bulk morphology of the nylon 6,6.