Some Aspects of Carbon Fiber Type and Its Surface Treatment on the Nucleation Behavior of Poly(p-Phenylene Sulfide) Based Composites

The morphology of poly(p-phenylene sulfide) in materials contaimng few carbon fibers was analyzed. The effects of crystallization temperature, the molecular weight of the polymer, as well as the type of carbon fiber and its surface treatment on the nucleation behavior of PPS were studied by hot stage optical microscopy. Low crystalliza tion temperatures and low molecular weight PPS favored fiber surface nucleation (transcrystallinity). Of the carbon fibers utilized (AU4, XAU, T300U), the T300U fibers were the most effective in nucleating transcrystallinity. Anodization of the T300U fibers in NaOH and H2SO 4 electrolytes decreased the nucleating ability of the fibers. These effects were rationalized in terms of the polarity of the carbon fiber surface