Effects of Surface Modification on the Mechanical Properties of Flax/β-Polypropylene Composites

Chang-Mou Wu; Wen-You Lai; Chen-Yu Wang

doi:10.3390/ma9050314

Effects of Surface Modification on the Mechanical Properties of Flax/β-Polypropylene Composites

Materials (Basel). 2016 Apr 27;9(5):314. doi: 10.3390/ma9050314.

Authors

Chang-Mou Wu¹, Wen-You Lai², Chen-Yu Wang³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan. cmwu@mail.ntust.edu.tw.
² Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan. chris01_lay@hotmail.com.tw.
³ Department of Fiber and Composite Materials, Feng-Chia University, Taichung 40724, Taiwan. wcyben0822@gmail.com.

Abstract

The effects of surface treatment of flax fibers featuring vinyltrimethoxy silane (VTMO) and maleic anhydride-polypropylene (MAPP) on the mechanical properties of flax/PP composites were investigated. α-polypropylene (α-PP) and β-polypropylene (β-PP) were used as matrices for measuring the mechanical properties of the flax fiber/polypropylene (flax/PP) composites. Flax/PP composites composed of double-covered uncommingled yarn (DCUY) were prepared using a film-stacking technique. The influence of surface treatment on the tensile, flexural, impact, and water uptake properties of Flax/PP composites were investigated. MAPP treatment was suitable for flax/PP composites in terms of superior tensile and impact properties. VTMO treatment showed superior flexural properties and less influence on the impact properties after moisture absorption.

Keywords: beta-polypropylene; composites; mechanical properties; natural-fiber; surface treatment.