Influence of sizing emulsifier content on the properties of carbon fibers and its composites

Highlights: → First report about the influence of emulsifier content of sizing agent. → The emulsifier content of sizing agent has an important influence to carbon fibres. → The sizing agent has an important influence to the carbon fibres composites. → This research has concluded that E-3 sized carbon fibres showed better properties. -- Abstract: This paper deals with the effect of emulsifier content of sizing agent on the carbon fibre surface and interface properties of carbon fibre composites. The topographies of carbon fibres surface has been studied by the atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the failure surface of the composites has been studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to characterize the surface composition of the fibres. The effects of emulsifier content of sizing agent on the adhesion of surface on the interlaminar shear strength were examined. The results indicated that the emulsifier content of sizing agent has an important influence on the carbon fibres and carbon fibres composites. The 20 wt% emulsifier content sizing agent (E-3) sized carbon fibres/epoxy resin composite showed better interfacial shear strengths.