Experimental Verification of Interfacial Strength Effect on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber-Epoxy Composite

The effects of carbon fiber–epoxy interfacial strength on the mechanical properties of the corresponding fiber-matrix composites are experimentally demonstrated in this work. Two composites containing different carbon fibers were tested: as-received fibers and fibers soaked in acetone to remove adhesive on their surfaces. The fiber surfaces were first characterized by scanning electron microscopy and time-of-flight secondary-ion mass...