Improved wettability and interfacial adhesion in carbon fibre/epoxy composites via an aqueous epoxy sizing agent

In this paper, a modified epoxy emulsifier (MEE) was synthesised for preparing an aqueous epoxy sizing agent, which was used to reinforce interfacial adhesion of carbon fibre (CF)/epoxy composites. The sizing agent was evenly wrapped on the fibre surface with tiny particles, as well as increased the surface roughness of fibres; meanwhile, the activated carbon atoms on the surface of sized CF were further increased, as confirmed via SEM, AFM and...