Bio- and green composites are mainly used in non-structural automotive elements like interior panels and vehicle underpanels. Currently, the use of biocomposites as a worthy alternative to glass fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRPs) in structural applications still needs to be fully evaluated. In the current study, the development of a suited biocomposites started with a thorough review of the available raw materials, including both reinforcement fibres and matrix materials. Based on its specific properties, hemp appeared to be a very suitable fibre. A similar analysis was conducted for the commercially available biobased matrix materials. Greenpoxy 55 (with a biocontent of 55%) and Super Sap 100 (with a biocontent of 37%) were selected and compared with a standard epoxy resin. Tensile and three-point bending tests were conducted to characterise the hemp-based biocomposite.
Keywords: bending test; biocomposite; green composites; hemp fibres; natural fibres; tensile test.