Abstract:
This study consists of two parts. In the first part, reinforcement of styrene (butylene ethylene) styrene thermoplastic elastomer (SEBS) with Kevlar fibre was investigated. Surface treatment of the fibre was carried out by N-alkylation to introduce the non-polar groups on the polar fibre surface. The effect of N-alkylation on surface morphology of Kevlar fibre was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Diffuse reflectance FT-IR (DRIFT) and solid state NMR techniques were used to characterise the surface of Kevlar fibre before and after N-alkylation. After N-alkylation, Kevlar fibre surface shows high degree of surface roughening and fibrillation. Mixing conditions for the preparation of Kevlar-SEBS composites in an internal mixer were at 165C with a rotor speed of 90 rpm. It was found that increasing the amount of untreated fibre caused an increase in modulus, but decreases in tensile strength and elongation at break. After N-alkylation on fibre surface, a slight decreases in modulus and elongation at break of the composite were observed, but tensile strength was increased. Pulp was found to give composites with better mechanical properties than the short fibre. In the second part, reinforcement of Santoprene thermoplastic elastomer with Kevlar pulp was investigated. Surface treatment of the fibre was carried out by alkali hydrolysis to increase the number of the reactive end groups. The effect of hydrolysis on surface morphology of Kevlar pulp was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy. DRIFT technique was used to characterise the surface of Kevlar fibre before and after hydrolysis. After hydrolysis, no significant change on Kevlar fibre surface was observed. Mixing conditions for the preparation of Kevlar pulp-Santoprene composites in an internal mixer which give the highest value of tensile properties were found to be at 175C with a rotor speed of 90 rpm. It was found that increasing the amount of fibre resulted in increases of modulus and tensile strength, but a decrease in elongation at break. Addition of MA-g-PP as a compatibiliser to the composites of hydrolysed Kevlar pulp-Santoprene was found to improve the mechanical properties of the composite significantly. Hence, surface hydrolysis of Kevlar was found to be necessary for MA-g-PP, which produces a composite with significantly improved properties, to function.