Contrast joints of glass-fibre with carbon-fibre reinforced polystyrene composite bonded by microwave irradiation

Abstract

[Abstract]: This paper contrasts the loss tangent, durability of reinforcement and the lap shear strengths of 33 percent by weight random glass fibre reinforced polystyrene matrix composite [PS/GF (33%)] with 33 percent by weight random carbon fibre reinforced polystyrene matrix composite [PS/CF (33%)] bonded using microwave irradiation. Fixed (2.45 GHz) and variable (2 – 18 GHz) frequency microwave (VFM) facilities are used to bond the two composites. With a given power level, the composites were exposed to various exposure times to microwave irradiation. The primer or coupling agent used for joining the glass-fibre-reinforced composite was 5-minute two-part adhesive, Araldite. No filler was used in joining the carbon-fibre-reinforced composite. The lap shear strengths of PS/GF (33%) obtained by FFM facility and VFMF are higher than those of PS/CF (33%). In all cases, the PS/CF (33%) absorbed too much microwave irradiation and this damaged the material (Ku et al., 2000c).