Preparación y caracterización de materiales reforzados de polietileno y fibras de carbono por termocompresión

Composites of medium density polyethylene (PELMD) and carbon fibers (FC) were prepared by thermal compression process. A dry–blending process was used to mix FC on PELMD at different FC contents (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt %) to increase the mechanical and thermal properties of polyethylene. FC structures and the dispersion in the PELMD were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the mechanical properties of the composites were analyzed by tensile, flexure and impact resistance tests, meanwhile the thermal properties and behavior by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In general, the mechanical properties of composites were increased by the addition of FC. The tensile and flexure modulus was increased by 250 and 58% respectively. For the tensile and flexure strength the increase was 26 and 9%, respectively. The thermal properties of polyethylene were also benefited by the addition of carbon fibers, as the thermal degradation of polyethylene is delayed by 42°C and the crystallinity was increased by 15%.