Ultrasonic treatment of aramid fiber surface and its effect on the interface of aramid/epoxy composites

Aramid fiber/epoxy composites have been treated by ultrasound during the winding process to enhance the adhesion. According to the ultrasonic treatment interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of composites has been greatly improved. Dynamic wetting method, XPS and AFM are used to examine the microscopic properties of resultant composites. The enhanced ILSS is attributed to the ultrasonic cavitation, which improves the wetting between aramid fibers and resins. (C) 2007 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.