Pultruded fiber reinforced thermoplastic poly(methyl methacrylate) composites. Part I. Correlation of processing parameters for optimizing the process

Abstract

Abstract The effect of processing parameters on the properties (tensile, flexural strength and modulus and impact strength, etc.) of pultruded fiber reinforced poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites has been studied. The processing parameters investigated included pulling rate, die temperature, and postcure. Wetting of fibers by PMMA resin was complete, and the fiber bundles were evenly distributed in the PMMA matrix. The conversion, molecular weight and viscosity of MMA prepolymer were studied by 1 H‐NMR, GPC and Brookfield viscometer. The optimum die temperature was determined from DSC diagram, molecular weight measurement and from the polymerization rate. The mechanical properties increased with the increasing postcure temperature and decreasing pulling rate and die temperature.