EFFECT OF INJECTIONS ON THE ORIENTATION OF SHORT-FIBER COMPOSITES - AN OPTICAL MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS

Short fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites were studied using pol yurethane as the matrix and aromatic polyamide, and carbon fibre or re generated cellulose as the structural component. For each type of fibr e, the amount was varied and mechanical properties (tensile and abrasi on resistance) and optical microscopy were investigated from injected sheets. The tensile resistance results were in accordance with those o bserved with the surface light reflected photomicrographs. Arithmetic average values of tensile resistance for samples taken at different di rections of stress were close to the values observed for injected piec es in those regions where the fibrillar arrangement in the matrix was random. In general, the abrasion resistance was also improved. Copyrig ht (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd