A study of the thermomechanical properties of carbon fiber-polypropylene composites

Short fiber composites were produced using polypropylene as matrix and poly acrylonitrile (PAN)-based fibers or vapor grown carbon fibers (VGCF) as rei nforcement. The strength, stiffness, and coefficient of thermal expansion ( CTE) of the composites were measured. The VGCF-composites showed strength a nd CTE that are competitive with those of "conventional" PAN-fiber composit es, but the stiffness was marginally lower. Micromechanical modeling of the PAN composite properties gives results consistent with the measurements. T he models can be used to infer the apparent VGCF-properties from their comp osites.