The emergence of high-performance thermoplastic composites

This paper focuses on enhancing the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) thermoplastic film composites. We achieve this by employing a controlled hot press process, which involves forming composites with woven carbon fiber layers integrated with the PPS film matrix and subjecting the mixture to elevated temperature and pressure conditions using a hot press. This technique facilitates the complete consolidation of the composite layup with desired layup orientations. As a result, composite films exhibit enhanced mechanical properties compared to conventional processing methods. Mechanical characterization, including tensile, flexural, and impact testing, is conducted to evaluate the performance of the formed thermoplastic composite. Test data demonstrate notable improvements in tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance. This can be attributed to the efficient load transfer between the carbon fibers and the PPS matrix due to effective consolidation achieved through the hot press technique. Moreover, systematic investigation into process parameters such as temperature, pressure, and processing time enables the optimization of mechanical properties to meet specific application requirements. This comprehensive understanding of process parameters facilitates the production of thermoplastic woven fabric composites with tailored mechanical characteristics, offering a promising avenue for lightweight, high-strength materials in various industries. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was conducted to examine the microstructure and interfacial characteristics of the formed composites. The micrographs revealed a uniform and oriented distribution of carbon woven fabrics within the PPS matrix and good interfacial bonding. This indicates effective fiber-matrix interaction, which has practical implications for developing high-performance materials. The influence of processing parameters on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the composites was systematically studied to optimize the fabrication process. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of producing high-performance carbon fiber-reinforced PPS thermoplastic film-based composites via the hot press technique, offering promising opportunities for advanced engineering applications requiring lightweight, durable, and high-strength materials.

High-performance continuous carbon fiber prepreg filaments have been a research hotspot in the field of additive manufacturing in recent years, and are considered to be an effective option for improving the mechanical strength of thermoplastic composite parts. However, the effect of fiber volume fraction on the microstructure and tensile properties of 3D printed prepreg filaments remains miss. Therefore, this study selected suitable impregnation processes and materials to prepare prepreg filaments with different fiber volume fraction and investigated their mechanical properties and microscopic morphologies. The results show that the increase of fiber volume fraction effectively promoted the interface bonding between fiber and resin, and increased capacity for load transfer. When the fiber volume fraction was 54.0 %, the tensile strength of the prepreg filaments and specimens reached 1977 MPa and 334 MPa, respectively. This study can provide a process optimization strategy for the preparation of more types of continuous fiber prepreg filaments with high fiber volume fraction, as well as a data reference for the preparation of high-performance 3D-printed thermoplastic composites.

Oven vacuum bag processing is an emerging process to manufacture high quality thermoplastic parts with void reduction using vacuum consolidation only. This paper models void air removal as a combination of through-the-thickness gas diffusion and in-plane airflow through the interlayer region for a flat plate of finite in-plane dimensions consisting of an arbitrary number of layers. A finite difference model assumes Fickian diffusion, simplifies the microstructure of the multi-layer prepreg stack and allows evaluation of various material and process conditions (inter- and intra-layer void content, temperature and pressure cycle, etc.) on the through-thickness diffusion behavior of the volatiles. In-plane airflow in the intra-layer is modeled using Darcy’s flow and requires high permeability of the interface created by the porous volume in between adjacent layers and the ability to vent the gas at the part edge. The dual mechanism model evaluates part geometries and processing cycles to reduce void content equivalent to autoclave parts with previously generated material properties of AS4/APC2 carbon PEEK prepreg. The modeling results based on the proposed mechanism shows that processing with through-the-thickness diffusion and standard processing cycles limits part thickness to five layers or less for APC2 while in-plane gas reduction can be used to make large parts of up to 10 m in the in-plane direction independent of part thickness. Very large parts require the addition of an intermediate lower temperature dwell cycle where diffusivity is high but interlayer permeability is unaffected allowing gas flow to the part edges for an extended period of time. The edge vent approach ensures a robust process even for as received materials with significant void variability often seen in thermoplastic prepreg tapes.

A novel surface modification of carbon fiber for high-performance thermoplastic polyurethane composites

Thermoplastic composites are used in a variety of applications such as mass transit, auto-motive parts, and military structures [1-6]. Their appeal compared to conventional materials such as aluminum, steel, and thermoset composites for these applications lies in their high specific strength, corrosion resistance, superior impact resistance, high toughness, and ease of recycling [1-7].In recent years, carbon fibers (CF) have been widely used as reinforcing materials in high performance composites. CF present several advantages, including high modulus and strength, good stiffness, and creep resistance [8-10]. Despite these advantages, the CF/ther-moplastic composites have unsatisfactory mechanical properties because CF have poor in-terfacial adhesion with most thermoplastic polymers due to their non-polar surface.The interfacial adhesion between reinforcing fibers and polymer matrices in composites is the controlling factor in obtaining optimum mechanical properties of composites [11-13]. To achieve good interfacial adhesion between CF and thermoplastic matrices, it is necessary to increase the surface polarity. In this light, increasing the surface polarity for van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding can improve the interfacial adhesion. In efforts to increase the surface polarity of CF, various surface treatment techniques have been applied, including plasma treatment, anodic oxidation, metal plating, and cou-pling treatment [14,15]. Among the various treatments, coupling treatment is known to be a very effective method for improving the interfacial adhesion between the fibers and the thermoplastic matrices [16].The role of coupling agents in improving the interfacial adhesion between polymers and inorganic surfaces has been widely documented [17,18]. However, the effects of different coupling agents on interfacial adhesion between CF and polar-modified thermoplastic matri-ces have yet to be explicitly identified. Therefore, the first objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of sizing treatments by silane-based coupling agents on the interfacial adhesion properties between the fibers and the thermoplastic matrix. Another objective is to investigate the effects of the presence of surface functional groups containing silane-oxygen groups on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene.The CF used in this work were polyacrylonitrile based high strength fibers, T-700SC-13000 (12K unidirectional fabric; Toray, Tokyo, Japan). The average diameter of these CF was around 7 μm. A highly polarized polypropylene sheet prepared by maleic anhydride grafting (Homan Petrochemical Co, Seoul, Korea) was used as a matrix. The reagents used for the coupling treatments were vinyltriethoxy silane (VTES), 3-ami-no propyl triethoxy silane (APS), and 3-methacryloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (MPTS; Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA), denoted as VTES, APS, and MPTS, respectively. The acid and silane treatments of the CF were carried out by the following procedure. For the acid

To optimize cost and weight and streamline the manufacturing process of existing soft magnetic components, which currently rely on metallic soft magnetic particles, an innovative approach involving the preparation of high-performance magnetic polymeric composites is proposed. These composites are based on soft magnetic ferrite particles with high Curie temperature and magnetic saturation, along with low coercivity and remanent magnetization, and are used as fillers in thermoplastic polymers. To achieve these goals, cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) micro- and nanoparticles were synthesized by two different methos: solid-state reaction and coprecipitation. The as-obtained particles were used to fabricate soft magnetic polymer composites by extrusion and injection molding methods. The successful synthesis of cobalt ferrite was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. The magnetic behavior of cobalt ferrites and polymer composites was also investigated by vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). This study shows that these new high-performance soft magnetic polymer composites can be used as alternative materials for the manufacture of magnetic components such as inductors and transformers and that their low cost and lightweight make them suitable for the manufacture of magnetic components.

This article reports on the development of thermoplastic composites using innovative curvilinear 3D multi-layer flat knitted spacer fabrics produced by single stage manufacturing. Thermoplastic composites from textile-based, complex-shaped sandwich preforms, for instance, curvilinear-shaped 3D multi-layer spacer fabrics show great potential for lightweight applications. Faster production time and reduction of waste can be achieved by single stage manufacturing of such 3D textile preforms. Spacer-shaped 3D textile preforms were developed using commingled hybrid yarns made of GF and PP filaments. This 3D spacer fabric was consolidated to 3D composite using the developed mechanical tools. In order to predict the mechanical performance of 3D composites, mechanical properties of reinforcement yarns unraveled from 3D spacer fabrics, 2D knit fabrics, and 2D composites using the 2D knit fabrics produced in the same manner as the individual layers of 3D spacer fabrics were studied. The results are promising for applications in high-performance composites.

This research focuses on key priorities in the field of sustainable plastic composites that will lead to a reduction in CO2 pollution and support the EU’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The main challenge is to develop high-performance polyphenol-reinforced thermoplastic composites, where the use of natural fillers replaces the usual chemical additives with non-toxic ones, not only to improve the final performance but also to increase the desired multifunctionalities (structural, antioxidant, and antibacterial). Therefore, poly (lactic acid) (PLA) composites based on Kraft lignin (KL) and tannin (TANN) were investigated. Two series of PLA composites, PLA-KL and PLA-TANN, which contained natural fillers (0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.5% (w/w)) were prepared by hot melt extrusion. The effects of KL and TANN on the PLA matrices were investigated, especially the surface physicochemical properties, mechanical properties, and antioxidant/antimicrobial activity. The surface physicochemical properties were evaluated by measuring the contact angle (CA), roughness, zeta potential, and nanoindentation. The results of the water contact angle showed that neither KL nor TANN caused a significant change in the wettability, but only a slight increase in the hydrophilicity of the PLA composites. The filler loading, the size of the particles with their available functional groups on the surfaces of the PLA composites, and the interaction between the filler and the PLA polymer depend on the roughness and zeta potential behavior of the PLA-KL and PLA-TANN composites and ultimately improve the surface mechanical properties. The antioxidant properties of the PLA-KL and PLA-TANN composites were determined using the DPPH (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test. The results show an efficient antioxidant behavior of all PLA-KL and PLA-TANN composites, which increases with the filler content. Finally, the KL- and PLA-based TANN have shown resistance to the Gram-negative bacteria, E. coli, but without a correlation trend between polyphenol filler content and structure.

Quality Prediction of Continuous Ultrasonic Welded Seams of High-Performance Thermoplastic Composites by means of Artificial Intelligence

This systematic literature review (SLR) examines the applications, properties, and processing of thermoplastic matrix and thermosetting reinforced polymer composites in 3D printing, providing insights into current advancements and future directions. The study investigates polymer matrix types, the role of reinforcements such as fibers, nanoparticles, and hybrid fillers, and the suitability of various additive manufacturing techniques, while identifying research gaps and industrial challenges. A rigorous SLR methodology was employed, searching peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and databases including Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and IEEE Xplore, covering 2016–2025. Keywords such as “thermoplastic matrix composites,” “thermosetting reinforced polymers,” “3D printing,” “additive manufacturing,” and “nanocomposites” were used. Data extraction focused on polymer types, reinforcement characteristics, processing methods, mechanical and thermal performance, and applications. Findings show that thermoplastic composites (Polylactic Acid, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified,Polyether Ether Ketone, Polyetherimide) are preferred for recyclability, processability, and design flexibility, while thermosetting composites offer superior mechanical strength, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. Reinforcements enhance tensile, flexural, and impact properties, with hybrid and functional composites enabling electrical conductivity, self-healing, and antibacterial properties. Advanced 3D printing methods (Fused Deposition Modeling, Fused Filament Fabrication, Stereolithography Apparatus, pellet extrusion) enable precise fiber alignment, layer control, and complex geometries, supporting aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial applications. Challenges include interfacial bonding, anisotropy, thermal degradation, and limited standardization, highlighting the need for research on high-performance, multifunctional, and sustainable 3D-printed composites.

Physical and thermal properties of treated sugar palm/glass fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane hybrid composites

Technological developments in the processing of staple carbon fiber disclosed that producing hybrid yarn with improved homogeneity, uniformity, compactness and orientation can fully utilize the potential in high-performance composites. Therefore, developing hybrid yarn structures through yarn formation technology has become an emerging trend in the past few years. The present paper aims to highlight the recent development in the yarn formation technology for producing innovative yarn structures from staple carbon and thermoplastic fibers for high-performance fiber-reinforced plastics. For this purpose, pre-spinning, spinning and post-spinning operations of yarn formation technology are reviewed to technological aspects and processing of staple carbon fiber. Furthermore, recent developments in developing flyer, friction and wrap-spun hybrid yarn for high-performance composites are also presented in this paper. An attempt is carried out to develop the relationship between hybrid yarn structures and composite properties. The comparison of tensile properties of thermoplastic plastic composites shows that composite based on hybrid yarn structure possesses 300% and 700% higher tensile strength compared to nonwovens and injection molding composites.

Due to the short dwell time of processing temperature and pressure, the quality of the composite manufactured by AFP was not equal to the traditional processing method like autoclave or hot-press. Deeply understanding the mechanism of differences was conducive to improving the performance of the composite manufactured by AFP. In this study, the properties of high-performance carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (CF/PPS) thermoplastic composites manufactured by laser-assisted automated fiber placement (LAFP) in-situ consolidation and hot-press was characterized and compared. The temperature history of LAFP in situ consolidation indicated that the heating and cooling process occurred during a few seconds. And the crystallinity was only 21.6% for the laminate from LATP, while the void content was 2.75%. Due to the low crystallinity, high void content and low interlaminar bonding, the ILSS of the laminate from LAFP in situ consolidation was 34.9% lower than that of hot-press. However, the mode Ⅰ fracture toughness was 103.7% higher than hot-press.

Identification and Drapability of High Performance Thermoplastic UD Composites for Aeronautical Application

This paper presents an innovative, eco-friendly and sustainable tape manufacturing technology that transforms waste carbon and polyamide fibers into a new class of fibrous structure with unidirectional fiber orientation, termed “unidirectional tapes structure” for the fabrication of high performance composites. This novel technology imparts homogeneity, uniformity, orientation and thermal stability in unidirectional tapes structure that resemble conventional prepreg material. Unidirectional configuration of the tapes structure brings a revolution towards development of cost efficient carbon fiber composites for load bearing structural applications. This paper introduces the concept of tape manufacturing technology and highlights the modifications, optimization, and technological developments carried out to develop unidirectional tapes. The structural parameters that play a significant role in the properties of the high performance composite, such as fiber length, fiber orientation, fiber damage, and uniformity, were assessed during tape manufacturing. The results reveal composites fabricated from unidirectional tape structures with optimum parameters deliver tensile strength and modulus of 1370 ± 22 MPa and 85 ± 4 GPa, respectively.