Interface enhancement of glass fiber/unsaturated polyester resin composites with nano-silica treated using silane coupling agent

Nano-silica treated with different kinds of coupling agent (KH550, A-143, A-151) was used to modify the surface condition of glass fiber, and then, the modified glass fiber/unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) composites materials were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and impact test were used to characterize the composite materials’ structure and properties. The morphology of composite materials shows that the adhesion between nano-silica and glass fiber is improved when silane coupling agent is added in. The DMA and impact test results show that silane coupling agent (especially KH550 and A-151) could effectively improve the composite’s mechanical properties. When the dose of KH550 was 0.1% (m:m), the storage modulus and impact strength reached the maximum.