Effect of μPlasma Modification on the Wettability and the Ageing Behaviour of Glass Fibre Reinforced Polyamide 6 (GFPA6)

Glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6 (GFPA6) thermoplastic composites (TPCs) are promising materials with excellent properties, but due to their low surface free energy they are usually difficult to wet, and therefore, possesses poor adhesion properties. μPlasma modification offers potential solutions to this problem through functionalisation of the GFPA6 surface. In this study, the effect of μPlasma on the wetting behaviour of GFPA6 surfaces was investigated. Following single μPlasma treatment scans of GFPA6 samples, a substantial enhancement in wettability was observed. However, the effect of the μPlasma modification was subject to an ageing (hydrophobic recovery) phenomenon, although the enhancement was still partially maintained after 4 weeks. The ageing process was slower when the GFPA6 material was pre-dried and stored in low humidity conditions, thereby demonstrating the importance of the storage environment to the rate of ageing. Orientation of the fibres to the observed contact angle was found to be crucial for obtaining reproducible measurements with lower deviation. The influence of testing liquid, droplet volume and surface texture on the repeatability of the measured contact angle were also investigated.

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The effects of Clay on fire performance and thermal mechanical properties of woven glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6 nanocomposites

Composites Science and Technology ◽

10.1016/j.compscitech.2010.07.027 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 70 (14) ◽

pp. 2063-2067 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Shirley Zhiqi Shen ◽

Stuart Bateman ◽

Patrick McMahon ◽

Mel Dell’Olio ◽

Januar Gotama ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Glass Fibre ◽

Polyamide 6 ◽

Fire Performance ◽

Thermal Mechanical Properties ◽

Glass Fibre Reinforced

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Free-Volume and Tensile Properties of Glass Fibre Reinforced Polyamide~6 Composites

Acta Physica Polonica A ◽

10.12693/aphyspola.132.1501 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 132 (5) ◽

pp. 1501-1505

Author(s):

E. Dryzek ◽

M. Wróbel ◽

E. Juszyńska-Gałązka

Keyword(s):

Tensile Properties ◽

Free Volume ◽

Glass Fibre ◽

Polyamide 6 ◽

Glass Fibre Reinforced

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Fire retardancy effect of aluminium phosphinate and melamine polyphosphate in glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6

e-Polymers ◽

10.1515/epoly.2010.10.1.443 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Ulrike Braun ◽

Horst Bahr ◽

Bernhard Schartel

Keyword(s):

Gas Phase ◽

Glass Fibre ◽

Phosphinic Acid ◽

Polyamide 6 ◽

Fire Retardancy ◽

Fire Behaviour ◽

Aluminium Phosphate ◽

Flame Inhibition ◽

Glass Fibre Reinforced ◽

In Fire

AbstractThe fire retardancy mechanism of aluminium diethyl phosphinate (AlPi) and AlPi in combination with melamine polyphosphate (MPP) was investigated in glass-fibre reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6/GF) by analysing the pyrolysis, flammability and fire behaviour. AlPi in PA6/GF-AlPi partly vaporises as AlPi and partly decomposes to volatile diethylphosphinic acid (subsequently called phosphinic acid) and aluminium phosphate residue. In fire a predominant gasphase action was observed, but the material did not reach a V-0 classification for the moderate additive content used. For the combination of both AlPi and MPP in PA6/GF-AlPi-MPP a synergistic effect occurred, because of the reaction of MPP with AlPi. Aluminium phosphate is formed in the residue and melamine and phosphinic acid are released in the gas phase. The aluminium phosphate acts as a barrier for fuel and heat transport, whereas the melamine release results in fuel dilution and the phosphinic acid formation in flame inhibition. The higher amount of aluminium phosphate in PA6/GF-AlPi-MPP stabilised the residue in flammability tests in comparison to PA6/GF-AlPi, so that this material achieved a V-0 classification in the UL 94 test.

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Investigation into fibre orientation and weldline reduction of injection moulded short glass-fibre/polyamide 6-6 automotive components

Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials ◽

10.1177/0892705719833098 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (12) ◽

pp. 1603-1628

Author(s):

Sarah Mosey ◽

Feras Korkees ◽

Andrew Rees ◽

Gethin Llewelyn

Keyword(s):

Glass Fibre ◽

Fibre Orientation ◽

Weight Ratio ◽

Polyamide 6 ◽

Processing Parameters ◽

Material Strength ◽

Reinforced Polymers ◽

Automotive Components ◽

Glass Fibre Reinforced ◽

Component Failures

Due to the increasing demands on automotive components, manufacturers are relying on injection moulding components from fibre-reinforced polymers in an attempt to increase strength to weight ratio. The use of reinforcing fibres in injection moulded components has led to component failures whereby the material strength is hampered through the formation of weldlines which are also a problem for unreinforced plastics. In this study, an industrial demonstrator component has the injection locations verified through a combination of fibre orientation tensor simulation and optical microscopy analysis of key locations on the component. Furthermore, the automotive component manufactured from 30% glass fibre–reinforced polyamide 6-6 is simulated and optimized through a Taguchi parametric study. A comparison is made between the component, as it is currently manufactured, and the optimum processing parameters determined by the study. It was found that the component can be manufactured with roughly 7.5% fewer weldlines and with a mould fill time 132 ms quicker than the current manufacturing process.

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