In this study, the electrospray deposition (ESD) method was used to deposit carbon nanotubes (CNT) onto the surfaces of carbon fibers (CF) in order to produce hybrid carbon fiber-carbon nanotubes (CF-CNT) which is rarely reported in the past. Extreme high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (XHR-FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyse the hybrid carbon fiber-carbon nanotube (CF-CNT). The results demonstrated that CNT was successfully and homogenously distributed on the CF surface. Hybrid CF-CNT was then prepared and compared with CF without CNT deposition in terms of their tensile properties. Statistically, the tensile strength and the tensile modulus of the hybrid CF-CNT were increased by up to 3% and 25%, respectively, as compared to the CF without CNT deposition. The results indicated that the ESD method did not cause any reduction of tensile properties of hybrid CF-CNT. Based on this finding, it can be prominently identified some new and significant information of interest to researchers and industrialists working on CF based products.

Filler surface modification has become an essential approach to improve the compatibility problem between natural fillers and polymer matrices. However, there is limited work that concerns on this particular effect under dynamic loading conditions. Therefore, in this study, both untreated and treated low linear density polyethylene/rice husk composites were tested under static (0.001 s ^–1, 0.01 s ^–1 and 0.1 s ^–1) and dynamic loading rates (650 s ^–1, 900 s ^–1 and 1100 s ^–1) using universal testing machine and split Hopkinson pressure bar equipment, respectively. Rice husk filler was modified using silane coupling agents at four different concentrations (1, 3, 5 and 7% weight percentage of silane) at room temperature. This surface modification was experimentally proven by Fourier transform infrared and Field emission scanning electron microscopy. Results show that strength properties, stiffness properties and yield behaviour of treated composites were higher than untreated composites. Among the treated composites, the 5% silane weight percentage composite shows the optimum mechanical properties. Besides, the rate of sensitivity of both untreated and treated composites also shows great dependency on strain rate sensitivity with increasing strain rate. On the other hand, the thermal activation volume shows contrary trend. For fracture surface analysis, the results show that the treated LLDPE/RH composites experienced less permanent deformation as compared to untreated LLDPE/RH composites. Besides, at dynamic loading, the fracture surface analysis of the treated composites showed good attachment between RH and LLDPE.