Surface Coating of Aramid Fiber by a Graphene/Aramid Nanofiber Hybrid Material to Enhance Interfacial Adhesion with Rubber Matrix

A novel method of constructing nanostructures on the surface of aramid fiber (AF) was demonstrated in this article. Through the pi-pi* interaction between the aramid nanofiber (ANF) and graphene (G), the G/ANF dispersion stably existed in water. In an alkaline solution of tannic acid (TA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), a TA/PEI (TP) layer was deposited on the surface of AF to introduce functional groups. Then, the modified AF was impregnated with the G/ANF dispersion to construct surface nanostructures to enhance the interfacial adhesion between the fiber and rubber. The results showed that the H pull-out force of the AF and rubber after impregnating with G, ANF, and G/ANF was increased by 15.3, 21.5, and 84.7%, respectively, compared with the untreated AF. The Raman spectroscopy and SEM results show that there is a pi-pi* interaction between G and ANF, and the ANFs are firmly attached to the surface of G. The hybrid G/ANF nanofiller can form 3D nanostructures on the surface of AF to improve the mechanical interlocking and stress transfer between the fiber and the rubber matrix, thereby achieving excellent interfacial adhesion while maintaining the excellent mechanical properties of AF.

Automated summary

This study presented a novel approach to enhance the interfacial adhesion between fibers and rubber by constructing nanostructures on the surface of aramid fibers. The introduction of functional groups and the formation of 3D nanostructures improved the mechanical interlocking and stress transfer, leading to significant enhancement in pull-out force and interfacial adhesion. The interaction between graphene and aramid nanofibers played a crucial role in achieving excellent mechanical properties while maintaining the fiber's performance.