Investigating the carbon materials' microwave absorption and its effects on the mechanical and physical properties of carbon fiber and carbon black/ polypropylene composites

Carbon compounds have high dielectric losses, which means that these materials are heated efficiently by microwave irradiation. Carbon materials can be used as microwave absorbers in polymeric materials that are transparent to microwave irradiation. In this paper, carbon-reinforced polypropylene composites were exposed to microwave irradiation and then their dynamic mechanical thermal properties, electromagnetic shielding, and surface morphology were investigated. The test results showed that mechanical and physical properties of carbon-polypropylene composites improved following microwave exposure. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis results showed that their storage and loss modulus were improved following microwave treatment. It is postulated that microwave irradiation heats carbon materials, which is likely to melt neighboring matrix thus improving interfacial adhesion and structural defects.