A Raman microscopy study of stress transfer in high‐performance epoxy composites reinforced with polyethylene fibers

Abstract

Abstract Raman spectroscopy is shown to be a very powerful method for the study of stress transfer in epoxy composite materials reinforced with high‐performance polyethylene (PE) fibers. We found that the stress transfer length as determined by Raman spectroscopy is substantially shorter for a plasma‐treated fiber than for an untreated one. A shorter stress transfer length indicates stronger interactions between fiber and matrix. Furthermore, the stress transfer length was higher for a PE fiber/epoxy matrix cured at a higher temperature.