Co-Bonded Hybrid Thermoplastic-Thermoset Composite Interphase: Process-Microstructure-Property Correlation

Co-bonding is an effective joining method for fiber-reinforced composites in which a prefabricated part bonds with a thermoset resin during the curing process. Manufacturing of co-bonded thermoset-thermoplastic hybrid composites is a challenging task due to the complexities of the interdiffusion of reactive thermoset resin and thermoplastic polymer at the interface between two plies. Herein, the interphase properties of co-bonded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene thermoplastic to unsaturated polyester thermoset are investigated for different processing conditions. The effect of processing temperature on the cure kinetics and interdiffusion kinetics are studied experimentally. The interphase thickness and microstructure are linked to the chemo-rheological properties of the materials. The interdiffusion mechanisms are explored and models are developed to predict the interphase thickness and microstructure for various process conditions. The temperature-dependent diffusivities were estimated by incorporating an inverse diffusion model. The mechanical response of interphases was analyzed by the Vickers microhardness test and was correlated to the processing condition and microstructure. It was observed that processing temperature has significant effect on the interdiffusion process and, consequently, on the interphase thickness, its microstructure and mechanical performance.