Open Access

Study on Residual Stresses in Unidirectional Flax Fiber/ Vinyl Ester Composites by XRD Technique

Shanshan Huo, Chad A. Ulven^*

Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, USA

* Corresponding author:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2017, 5(Suppl.1), 106-116. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2017.634136

Abstract

The development of flax fiber reinforced polymer composites with improved properties has been increasingly studied by many researchers because of their sustainability. However, the effects of thermal residual stresses on the interfacial properties of flax composites have not been evaluated or very well understood. In this study, the thermal properties of flax, vinyl ester matrices and their composites were accessed by different techniques, including thermomechanical analyzer, dynamic mechanical analyzer, and X-ray diffraction combined with aluminum particles. The effects of thermal properties of flax fibers and vinyl ester resin systems on the mechanical properties of their biocomposites were studied. The theory of modifying the thermal properties of flax and vinyl ester to improve the interfacial adhesion between them has been proven by the study of the thermal residual stresses in their composites.

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