Tailored Glass Fiber Reinforced Nylon 66 Composites With Good Processability, Excellent Thermal, and Mechanical Properties via an Anhydride‐Terminated Fluorinated Imide Oligomer: A Combined Method of Experimental Analysis and Molecular Dynamic Simulation

ABSTRACT Glass fiber reinforced nylon 66 (GF/PA66) composites have been widely used in a range of industrial applications, but it is still a challenge to design and manufacture GF/PA66 composites with simultaneously improved processability, thermal, and mechanical properties. Here, a novel imide oligomer (FPI) was synthesized and used as a multifunctional modifier. Thanks to trifluoromethyl (CF ₃ ) and anhydride groups, FPI was located at the interface between GF and the PA66 matrix, and enhanced the interfacial interactions via covalent interactions and hydrogen bonds (H bonds), leading to the homogeneous dispersion of GF in composites and the improved processability. In addition, the results were confirmed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The equilibrium torque of GF30/PA‐FPI3 (30 wt% GF and 3 wt% FPI) was decreased by 54.2% compared to that of GF30/PA, attributed to the rigid‐flexible structure of FPI. Furthermore, unlike conventional flow modifiers that have a negative effect on the thermal, mechanical, and hydrophobic properties of GF/PA66 composites, the glass transition temperature ( T _g ), heat deflection temperature (HDT), fracture energy, flexural modulus, and water contact angle of GF30/PA‐FPI3 were increased by 10.6°C, 40.3°C, 67.8%, 20.1%, and 26.9° respectively, compared to those of GF30/PA. Therefore, this study demonstrated the potential application of FPI for GF/PA66 composites and provided a promising avenue for preparing high performance GFRP composites as advanced engineering composites.