Fracture characteristics of discontinuous carbon fibre-reinforced PPS and PES-C composites

Tensile strength, σ b , Young's modulus, E, and critical stress intensity factor, K IC , of two types of short carbon fibre (CF) reinforced high performance brittle thermoplastics (CF/PPS and CF/PES-C) have been measured for different volume fraction, V f of CF. Young's modulus increases linearly with increasing of V f with a Krenchel's efficiency factor of 0.05, whereas σ b and K IC initially rise and then level up at V f of 25 vol.%. With the help of loas-deflection curves and fractography, the experimental results have been analysed in the light of fibre-matrix adhesion characteristics