Influence of reinforcement architecture on static and dynamic mechanical properties of flax/epoxy composites for structural applications

• Published in: Composite structures Vol. 255; p. 112955
• Main Authors: Ahmad, Furkan, Yuvaraj, N., Bajpai, Pramendra Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Flax/epoxy; Mechanical properties; Polymer composites; Reinforcement architectures; Weave patterns; Mechanical properties; Reinforcement architectures; Polymer composites; Flax/epoxy; Weave patterns
• ISSN: 0263-8223; 1879-1085
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2020.112955

[Display omitted] •Nine systematic weave patterns were developed by changing the number of simultaneous yarns in warp and weft direction of the plain weave.•Weave architectures of the reinforcement influenced static and dynamic mechanical properties significantly.•Lower crimp results in higher Young’s modulus but sufficient interlacing points are necessary for structural stability of reinforcement.•Architecture with higher crimp absorbed higher energy than other architectures due to longer yarn straightening process during loading.•Unevenness in the architecture may leads to easy relaxation process at high temperature increasing loss modulus and damping factor. Weave architecture of the reinforcement in polymeric composite structures affects macroscopic mechanical properties of the developed composites significantly along with many other factors. In present article, nine different but systematic weave architectures were obtained by changing the number of simultaneous yarns moving in warp and weft direction of flax (Linum usitatissimum) woven fabric. Static and dynamic mechanical properties (Tensile, Flexural, Impact, loss modulus, storage modulus and damping factor) of flax fiber reinforced epoxy composites were investigated. The effect of weave configurations on failure mechanism of the developed composites has also been studied morphologically. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to investigate the failure mechanism of the developed composites. Tensile strength and modulus was found to be significantly affected by the number of simultaneous load sharing fibers weaved in loading direction and crimp of the fabric respectively. Interlacing points of the fabric seems to control the flexural strength and modulus of the developed composites. Reinforcement architecture was also found to be responsible for the changes in impact strength of developed composites. Consistent with Young’s modulus, storage modulus and loss modulus were also affected by weave parameters such as unevenness in the architecture of reinforcement.