Transcrystalline induced by MWCNTs and organic nucleating agents at the interface of glass fiber/polypropylene

The interfacial crystallization at glass fiber/PP interface in the presence of multiwalled cabon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and organic nucleating agents (NAs) along fiber surface was investigated in this study. MWCNTs and NAs formed a uniform coating layer on glass fiber surface via dipping in well‐dispersed MWCNTs and NAs aqueous dispersions. Transcrystalline (TC) structure formed by the strong nucleating ability of MWCNTs/NAs coated glass fiber surface. There existed a detectable difference in TC structure induced by coated glass fiber with different surface components. We found that a more sufficient and higher density transcrystalline (TC) structure can be constructed by introducing MWCNTs in combination with sodium benzoate (SB) or TMB‐5 onto fiber surface. Interfacial adhesion was evaluated by interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and morphologies at interfacial region after microdroplet test. The result shows that the MWCNTs/NAs coated glass fiber relates to better interfacial adhesion indicating that enhanced interfacial adhesion derives from the sufficient and high density TC structure induced by MWCNTs and NAs. Our current work provides an effective pathway to construct TC structure and further enhances interfacial adhesion of glass fiber/polypropylene composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3424–3433, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers