Effect Of Moisture Cycling Duration And Temperature On The Strengthening And Stiffening Of Cycled Flax Fibres

Clare Garing*, Yasmine Mosleh, Aart Willem Van Vuure

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeConference contributionScientificpeer-review

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of moisture cycling (environmental relative humidity cycles) on the durability of flax-epoxy composites and investigate the influence of cycling duration and temperature on the stiffening and strengthening of flax fibres. Four moisture cycling protocols for flax fibres were employed in this research which includes 4D21 (4days per cycle at 21ºC), 4D60 (4days per cycle at 60ºC), 3H27 (3hours per cycle at 27ºC) and 3H60 (3hours per cycle at 60ºC). To measure the impact of high-low humidity cycling at different cycling durations and temperature, tensile testing of impregnated fibre bundle test (IFBT) samples was done. Results of the back-calculated properties revealed that the applied cycling protocols enhanced both the tensile strength and modulus of the fibres. Better improvement of tensile properties was observed in fibres cycled at longer duration. The fibres undergoing 4 days of cycling at 21ºC (4D21 fibres) showed the highest improvements in tensile strength (18%), as well as tensile moduli E1 (19%) and E2 (18%) after 10 cycles. Interestingly, all fibres showed increased stiffness (E1) in the range of 8-20% after 10 cycles and 4-8% after 20 cycles. This fibreimprovement in mechanical strength and stiffness of the fibres can possibly be attributed to a phenomenon similar to a hornification effect in wood or possibly by fibre repair due to pectin migration, which produces the strengthening and stiffening effect.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 21st European Conference on Composite Materials
Subtitle of host publicationVolume 2 - Material science
EditorsChristophe Binetury, Frédéric Jacquemin
Place of PublicationFrance
PublisherThe European Society for Composite Materials (ESCM) and the Ecole Centrale de Nantes.
Pages345-351
Number of pages7
Volume2
ISBN (Electronic)978-2-912985-01-9
Publication statusPublished - 2024
Event21st European Conference on Composite Materials - Cité des Congrès de Nantes, Nantes, France
Duration: 2 Jul 20245 Jul 2024
Conference number: 21
https://eccm21.org/

Conference

Conference21st European Conference on Composite Materials
Abbreviated titleECCM21
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityNantes
Period2/07/245/07/24
Internet address

Keywords

  • bio-composites
  • natural fibre
  • flax
  • moisture cycling
  • pectin
  • hygrothermal ageing cycles
  • composites

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