Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Short-Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Polymerized Cyclic Butylene Terephthalate Composites

Abstract

Polymerized cyclic butylene terephthalate (pCBT) resin casts filled with short carbon fibers were prepared by the melt-mixing approach. The electrical conductivity of short-carbon-fiber (SCF) reinforced thermoplastic pCBT resin casts were investigated with a special attention paid to the properties in the percolation threshold region and the mechanical properties of the composites were also studied. The percolation threshold value of the novel material system was determined which was also verified by SEM images and the thermoelectric behavior of the specimens. Even though the electrical properties of SCF/pCBT composites enhanced significantly, the material becomes more brittle than neat pCBT and all the specimens appear brittle fracture during the mechanical test. Moreover, fiber pull-out is the main damage form in three-point-bending test.