Oxygen plasma is widely employed for modification of polymer surfaces. Plasma treatment process is a convenient procedure that is also environmentally friendly. This study reports the effects of oxygen plasma treatment on the surface properties of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) fibers. The surface characteristics before and after oxygen plasma treatment were analyzed by XPS, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic contact angle analysis (DCAA). It was found that oxygen plasma treatment introduced some new polar groups (O-C O) on the fiber surface, increased the fiber surface roughness and changed the surface morphologies obviously by plasma etching and oxidative reactions. It is also shown that the fiber surface wettability was improved significantly by oxygen plasma treatment.

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Interfacial adhesion between the fiber and the matrix in a composite is a primary factor for stress transfer from the matrix to the fiber. In this study, oxygen plasma treatment method was applied to modify the fiber surface for improving interfacial adhesion of aramid fiber-reinforced poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) composite. Composite interfacial adhesion properties were determined by interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) using a short-beam bending test. The composite interfacial adhesion mechanism was discussed by SEM. The changes of chemical composition and wettability for plasma-treated fiber surfaces stored in air as long as 10 days were investigated by XPS and dynamic contact angle analysis (DCAA), respectively. Results indicated that oxygen plasma treatment was an effective method for improving interfacial adhesion; plasma-treated fiber surface suffered aging effects during storage in air.

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The resin matrix and CF fibers itself of CF/PEEK composites exhibit surface inertness, resulting in poor interface bonding between CF and PEEK matrix. This phenomenon seriously affects the mechanical properties of CF/PEEK composites especially the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). In order to improve the interfacial properties of CF/PEEK composites, a novel sizing agent of CF fibers namely PPS‐NH2 was synthesized, and its influence on the fibers–matrix interface interaction and properties of CF/PEEK composites was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscopy. The results showed that the interface of CF/PEEK composite was improved by coating PPS‐NH2 sizing agent on the surface of CF. When the amination degree of PPS‐NH2 reaches 31.25%, the ILSS, flexural strength and modulus of CF/PEEK Composites reach 73.9 MPa (119%), 671.4 MPa (63%) and 32.8GPa (51%) and, respectively. At the same time, the main failure mechanism of CF/PEEK composites changes from fibers–matrix debonding into interface layer deformation and resin fracture. This method can effectively improve the interface defects between CF/PEEK composites.

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