The diploma thesis deals with the study of Inter-Laminar Shear Strength (ILSS) of polymer composites, based on unsaturated polyester resin with unidirectionally oriented basalt or glass fibers. The basis of the experimental part is the preparation of composite samples with different types of surface treatment of a fibers (a reinforcement) as well as the surface treatment itself. The untreated, the commercially treated fibers and the plasmatreated fibers used as reinforcement in the polymer composites were analysed by a short beam shear test and their ILSS was determined. The effect of various deposition conditions during Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) on the value of ILSS of the composite with originally unsized glass or basalt fibers was studied. The impact of aging on the interlaminar shear strength of the composites was investigated for commercially treated glass fibers. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is also used in the thesis together with the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). Based on all the results a proposal was made to correct and improve the deposition conditions and thus improve the interphase to achieve the required shear properties of polymer composites.

Diploma thesis is aimed at deposition of thin films on glass fibers using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition from tetravinylsilane as a monomer. Such surface modified glass fibers were used as reinforcements for fabrication of polymer composites with unsaturated polyester resin as a matrix. Chemical and optical properties of prepared thin films were characterized using infared spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. An influence of deposited thin films on the shear strength of composite material was observed using short-beam shear test.

Cieľom diplomovej práce je príprava polymerných kompozitov vyztužených sklenenými vláknami s riadenou medzifázou za použitia metódy plazmochemickej depozície z plynnej fáze a monomeru tetravinylsilanu. Teoretická časť je zameraná na literárnu rešerš o plazme, plazmovej polymerácií, tenkých vrstvách a kompozitoch. Experimentálna časť popisuje použité materiály a aparaturu použitú na povrchovú modifikáciu sklenených vlákien a prípravu vláknom vyztužených kompozitov. Povrchová úprava sklenených vlákien prebiehala za rôznych depozičných podmienok. Chemické a mechanické analýzy vytvorenej medzivrstvy prebiehali za použitia FTIR spektrometrie a vrypového testu. Vliv povrchovej úpravy bol zistený pomocou získanej interlaminárnej šmykovej sily použítím testu krátkych trámečkov.

Experimentation exploring the movement of voids within carbon fiber reinforced plastics was performed using fluorescent dye infused into the laminates observed through a transparent mold under ultraviolet light. In situ photography was used as an inspection method for void content during Resin Transfer Molding for these laminates. This in situ inspection method for determining the void content of composite laminates was compared to more common ex-situ quality inspection methods i.e. ultrasonic inspection and cross-section microscopy. Results for localized and total void count in each of these methods were directly compared to test samples and linear correlations between the three test methods were sought. Test coupons were then cut from these laminates and were used to calculate the interlaminar shear strength at certain locations throughout the laminates. Although this research did not adequately observe correlations between results obtained from ultrasonic C-scans, cross-sectional microscopy and in situ photography of the surface, it was seen that the fluid dynamics of the thermosetting epoxy used in this experimentation correlated to results obtained from previous experimentation performed by students at Brigham Young University using vegetable oil as a substitute for resin.