The Interface and Interphase in Polymer Matrix Composites: Effect on Mechanical Properties and Methods for Identification

The interface between the matrix and reinforcing phases can have a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the resulting composite material. The interface can be studied by a number of surface analysis techniques and the interaction modelled. Such studies, and such modelling, can help understanding of the mechanisms which composites undergo during their lifetime. The current review discusses the role of the interface and the methods by which it can be studied; two case studies are presented which illustrate these methods and the value that such knowledge of the interface has brought to larger investigations.