Interfacial interaction in stainless steel fiber-filled polypropylene composites

Surface treatment proves to be an effective way to enhance the mechanical properties of stainless steel fiber (SSF)‐filled polymer composites, a candidate for shielding electromagnetic interference applications. To reveal the details of interfacial interaction in polypropylene (PP)‐based composites, micro‐ and macromechanical performance of the materials as well as surface chemical features of the fibers extracted from composites were characterized. The results suggest that a chemical bond was formed between the SSF surface and modified PP (i.e., PP grafted maleic anhydride copolymer, PP‐g‐MAH) in addition to van der Waals forces, which accounts for the improved interfacial adhesion in the SSF/PP‐g‐MAH/PP system. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 2174–2179, 2000