The influence of heat treatment process on mechanical properties of surface treated volcanic ash particles/polyphenylene sulfide composites

This study primarily presents the effects of VA particle loading at various concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt%) on the mechanical properties of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites which are determined by tensile and three‐point bending tests. After determining the optimum VA particle concentrations, surface treatment of VA particles with 3% v/v silane coupling agent (3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3‐APTS)) was conducted. Similar experimental investigations were done to examine the effect of silanization on the interface region between VA particles and PPS matrix. At last, this work also determined the heat treatment (annealing) effect on the mechanical properties of surface treated VA/PPS composites. Untreated, surface treated and heat treated VA/PPS composite samples were manufactured by twin‐screw extruder and injection molding machine. All tests were performed using a Shimadzu AG‐X Universal Tester. Tensile and three‐point bending tests were carried out according to ISO 527‐2 and ASTM D790 standards, respectively. During the experiments, heat treatment and surface treatment effects on the mechanical properties VA/PPS composites were determined as a function of tensile strength and tensile modulus, flexural strength and flexural modulus. Moreover, fracture surface morphologies of VA/PPS composite samples were observed by using a scanning electron microscope. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1604–1611, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers