Cellulose man-made fibre reinforced polypropylene--correlations between fibre and composite properties

• Published in: Cellulose (London) Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 561 - 569
• Main Authors: Ganster, Johannes, Fink, Hans-Peter, Uihlein, Kurt, Zimmerer, Britta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.08.2008; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bioorganic Chemistry; Cellulose fibers; Ceramics; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Elongation; Fiber composites; Fiber reinforced polymers; Glass; Impact strength; Mechanical properties; Natural Materials; Organic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Polymer matrix composites; Polymer Sciences; Polypropylene; Stiffness; Sustainable Development; Injection moulding; Mechanical properties; Rayon; Reinforced polypropylene; Viscose; Cellulose fibres
• ISSN: 0969-0239; 1572-882X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10570-008-9204-x

A series of viscose fibres from the tyre cord type varying in mechanical parameters and titre were compounded with polypropylene to produce fibre reinforced composites. Single fibre strength is analysed in detail and conclusions are drawn with respect to effective strength values in composite applications. Composites were analysed in terms of tensile and impact properties. Correlations between single fibre and composite properties are studied. High fibre elongation leads to favourable composite impact properties via high composite elongations at break. Using water as a plastisizing agent increasing fibre elongation, notched Charpy impact strength can be improved by more than 50%. Using a modified rule of mixtures and a shear lag model for the composite modulus it was shown how a titre reduction improves the composite stiffness by an increased interfacial area. A direct fibre-composite strength correlation was not found.