Studies on the interface of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene composite

The interfacial characteristics of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) are studied with polarized light microscopy, wide angle X-ray diffraction and single fiber fragmentation methods. Transcrystallites are generated at the interface of KH-550 treated glass fiber-reinforced PP when it is blended with maleic anhydride-grafted PP (MA-PP). MA-PP markedly enhanced the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the chemically treated glass fiber-reinforced PP composite. A fiber fracture model is proposed. IFSS around 4–7 MPa would be good choices for the system of KH-550 treated glass fiber and PP modified with MA-PP.