The preparation of aramid fibres in silicone based composite materials

Purpose: The evaluation of modified aramid fibres - Kevlar - as reinforcement in silicon materials used in medicine. Design/methodology/approach: Samples of laminated material based on modified aramid fibres and medical silicone were made by a method of manual formation of laminates that is impregnation of reinforcement with matrix to hardening silicone process using hardening methods connected with heat. Created material was observed on Scanning Electron Microscopy manufactured by Zeiss. Findings: The results show that the modification of aramid fibres has a positive influence on adhesion of silicon material to aramid fibres and strengthening of tested samples. Research limitations/implications: Carried out investigations show that the problem with modification of aramid fibres is very important in having proper percentage of intensifier in developed material used for medical purposes. Originality/value: Taking the specific properties of material into account it seems that modification of aramid fibres would be useful in medicine. However, application of aramid fibres as reinforcing phase of polymer medical materials requires many additional investigations which are already planned and will soon be done in Institute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials at Silesian University of Technology.