The mechanical properties of woven tape all-polypropylene composites

The creation of highly oriented, co-extruded polypropylene (PP) tapes allows the production of recyclable "all-polypropylene" (all-PP) composites, with a large temperature processing window (>30 °C) and a high volume fraction of highly oriented PP molecules (>90%). This paper describes all-PP composites made from woven tape fabrics and reports the tensile and compressive properties of these, with reference to composite processing conditions and compares these mechanical properties to those of commercial alternatives.

[1]  D. Bigg.  Mechanical property enhancement of semicrystalline polymers—A review , 1988 .

[2]  A. Gibson.  2.29 – Continuous Molding of Thermoplastic Composites , 2000 .

[3]  G. Ehrenstein,et al.  Flow-Induced Crystallization and Self-Reinforcement During Extrusion , 1991 .

[4]  J. Karger‐Kocsis,et al.  An acoustic emission study of the temperature-dependent fracture behavior of polypropylene composites reinforced by continuous and discontinuous fiber mats , 2000 .

[5]  J. Schultz,et al.  Adhesion in laminates of highly oriented polypropylene sheets , 1986 .

[6]  T. Peijs,et al.  Mechanical Properties of Natural-Fibre-Mat- Reinforced Thermoplastics based on Flax Fibres and Polypropylene , 2000 .

[7]  Hanxiong Huang.  Self‐reinforcement of polypropylene by flow‐induced crystallization during continuous extrusion , 1998 .

[8]  P. J. Lemstra,et al.  The role of interface and fibre anisotropy in controlling the performance of polyethylene-fibre-reinforced composites , 1994 .

[9]  K. Imada,et al.  Mechanical properties and fine structure of drawn polymers , 2007 .

[10]  I. Ward,et al.  The hot compaction of polypropylene fibres , 1996, Journal of Materials Science.

[11]  R. Samuels.  Polymer structure: The key to process-property control , 1985 .

[12]  M. Piggott,et al.  The effect of fibre waviness on the mechanical properties of unidirectional fibre composites: A review , 1995 .

[13]  G. D. Sims,et al.  2.05 – Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics—Properties , 2000 .

[14]  W. H. Carothers,et al.  STUDIES OF POLYMERIZATION AND RING FORMATION. XV. ARTIFICIAL FIBERS FROM SYNTHETIC LINEAR CONDENSATION SUPERPOLYMERS , 1932 .

[15]  A. Peterlin.  Plastic deformation of polymers with fibrous structure , 1975 .

[16]  N. Cabrera.  Recyclable all-polypropylene composites : concept, properties and manufacturing , 2004 .

[17]  B. Alcock.  Single Polymer Composites Based on Polypropylene: Processing and Properties , 2004 .

[18]  V. Vittoria,et al.  Shrinkage and retractive force of drawn isotactic polypropylene during heating , 1985 .

[19]  N. Cabrera,et al.  The mechanical properties of unidirectional all-polypropylene composites , 2006 .

[20]  I. Ward,et al.  The science and technology of hot compaction , 2004 .

[21]  S. Tsai,et al.  Introduction to composite materials , 1980 .

[22]  Roberts Joffe,et al.  Effect of voids on failure mechanisms in RTM laminates , 1995 .

[23]  A. Laksimi,et al.  Damage analysis and the fibre–matrix effect in polypropylene reinforced by short glass fibres above glass transition temperature , 2003 .

[24]  Anthony Kelly,et al.  Comprehensive composite materials , 1999 .

[25]  P. Hogg,et al.  The mechanical properties of non-crimped fabric-based composites , 1993 .

[26]  Ton Peijs,et al.  Composites for recyclability , 2003 .

[27]  Peter Hine,et al.  The hot compaction behaviour of woven oriented polypropylene fibres and tapes. II. Morphology of cloths before and after compaction , 2003 .

[28]  T. Pakula,et al.  Thermally stimulated shrinkage forces in oriented polymers: 2. Time dependence , 1985 .

[29]  G. Weatherly,et al.  Uniaxial roll-drawing of isotactic polypropylene sheet , 1987 .

[30]  S. M. Bishop,et al.  An assessment of the potential of woven carbon fibre-reinforced plastics for high performance applications , 1984 .

[31]  R. H. Olley,et al.  On the internal morphologies of high-modulus polyethylene and polypropylene fibres , 1999 .

[32]  Pj Piet Lemstra,et al.  Melting behaviour of gelspun/drawn polyolefins , 1989 .

[33]  I. Ward,et al.  The morphology of woven polypropylene tapes compacted at temperatures above and below optimum , 1999 .

[34]  A. Peterlin,et al.  Molecular model of drawing polyethylene and polypropylene , 1971 .

[35]  P. Hine,et al.  The hot compaction of woven polypropylene tapes , 1998 .

[36]  I. Ward,et al.  The hot compaction behaviour of woven oriented polypropylene fibres and tapes. I. Mechanical properties , 2003 .

[37]  T. Peijs,et al.  Influence of Matrix Ductility and Fibre Architecture on the Repeated Impact Response of Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Laminated Composites , 2002 .

[38]  R. Woodhams,et al.  Joining of high strength oriented polypropylene using electromagnetic induction bonding and ultrasonic welding , 1989 .

[39]  High-performance polypropylene structures for eco-friendly, fully recyclable composites , 2002 .