2015

This article aims to prepare by injection molding recycled polymeric composites based on PA66 reinforced with short carbon fibers after artificial aging for applications in the automotive field. The aging cycles involves the combined action of UV radiation, moisture, and temperature in order to simulate the common outdoor conditions. The 100% recycled composites are obtained by the regranulation of the aged specimens followed by the remelting and re-injection molding.

Purpose The accurate selection of materials and the fine tuning of their properties represent a fundamental aspect in the realization of new active systems able to produce actuating forces, such as artificial muscles. In this regard, exciting opportunities for the design of new advanced systems are offered by materials belonging to the emerging class of functional polymers: exploiting their actuation response, specific devices can be realized.

Csf/SiC multilayer composites for thermal conductivity (TC) test in three directions were successively prepared by tape casting and pressureless sintering. After 1500°C/5 h oxidation treatment, short carbon fibers were oxidized which produced many pores. However, a core area, which was composed by short carbon fiber, SiC, and few SiO2, was still observed. TC properties of Csf/SiC multilayer composites were highly anisotropic. The TC was decreased with the increase in fiber amount.

SiC–ZrB2 ceramic laminates with different SiC:ZrB2 ratios were prepared by tape casting, binder burnout and pressureless sintering at 2200 °C in view of their application in thermal protection systems. Their oxidation behavior in air was investigated by TGA up to 1600 °C and by long term oxidation tests at 1500 and 1600 °C. Both microstructure and mechanical features of laminates were compared, before and after oxidation.