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Title: Flax Fiber Quality and Influence on Interfacial Properties of Composites.

Author
item Foulk, Jonn
item FUQUA, MICHAEL - North Dakota State University
item ULVEN, CHAD - North Dakota State University
item ALCOCK, MERCEDES - Composites Innovation Center

Submitted to: International Journal of Sustainable Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/19/2010
Publication Date: 2/26/2010
Citation: Foulk, J.A., Fuqua, M., Ulven, C., Alcock, M. 2010. Flax Fiber Quality and Influence on Interfacial Properties of Composites. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering. 3(1):1-8.

Interpretive Summary: Measured flax physical and chemical properties could potentially impact binding and thus the stress transfer between the matrix and fiber. The Agricultural Research Service of USDA has a priority to develop and expand use of sustainable, environmentally friendly biobased products, such as natural fibers, for a variety of industrial applications. Flax fiber offers many possibilities towards this goal, but the US currently does not have a flax fiber industry. These first attempts at correlating flax fiber quality and biofiber composites contain the initial steps towards identifying key flax fiber characteristics that influence composite performance. Results demonstrate that fiber pullout testing and ILSS testing can both be considered viable methods for interfacial bonding strength testing for natural fibers. This study determined that among the fiber and matrix interfacial adhesion, fiber characteristics such as fiber elongation, wax content, bacterial content, fiber thickness, density, Ca and Mg content appear to have a correlation to biofiber composite performance.

Technical Abstract: Measured flax physical and chemical properties could potentially impact binding and thus the stress transfer between the matrix and fiber. The study included 14 linseed samples with 12 samples ranging in cleanliness and retting produced using hammer mill technology from 2000, 2006 and 2007 with 2 samples processed via scutching (well-retted and unretted). One sample of fiber flax was grown in Canada from a test plot and processed via scutching. Ultimately, the study included three grades of European fiber flax tow designated appropriate for composites. Fiber characterization attempted to identify differences in color, strength, elongation, fineness, bacterial and fungal populations, moisture content, wax content, metal content, conductivity, pH, and percent glucose levels. Composite performance was evaluated using the fiber pullout test and interfacial shear strength. These first attempts at correlating flax fiber quality and biofiber composites contain the initial steps towards identifying key flax fiber characteristics that influence composite performance. Results demonstrate that fiber pullout testing and ILSS testing can both be considered viable methods for interfacial bonding strength testing for natural fibers. This study determined that among the fiber and matrix interfacial adhesion, fiber characteristics such as fiber elongation, wax content, bacterial content, fiber thickness, density, Ca and Mg content appear to have a correlation to biofiber composite performance. According to regression models, physical properties such as density, thickness, fiber strength, and fiber elongation impacted interfacial adhesion while chemical properties such as moisture content, wax content, metal content, pH, and glucose content were important.