Abstract: The stability and integrity of the metal coating on the Kevlar fiber surface were improved by the method of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coating, thereby improving the anti-peeling ability of the coating. The bend-peel-off test was performed to investigate the anti-peeling ability of the metal layer. The resistance tester and the electronic universal testing machine were used to test the conductivity and tensile strength of the sample. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the surface morphology and chemical valence of the sample. The results showed that the PVA coating can effectively improve the anti-peeling ability of the metal coating. As the PVA concentration increases, the surface resistivity of the copper-plated Kevlar fiber increases, while the flexibility decreases. When the concentration of the PVA solution is 5 g/L, the flexibility, conductivity, and anti-peeling ability of PVA-coated Cu/Kevlar fiber can be maintained at an optimal state. At this concentration, the surface unit resistance of the PVA coated Cu/Kevlar fiber is 0.41 Ω/cm, the monofilament tensile strength is 2.396 GPa, and the fitting degree of the Weibull distribution is 0.988 1.

Key words: Kevlar fiber, electroless copper plating, polyvinyl alcohol, anti-peeling ability, mechanical property