Journal
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
Volume 42, Issue 9, Pages 1148-1156Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2011.04.020
Keywords
Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs); Fibres; Fracture toughness; Fractography
Funding
- Biopolymer Network Ltd, New Zealand
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Plane-strain fracture toughness (K(IC)) of random short hemp fibre reinforced polylactide (PLA) bio-composites was investigated along with the effect of loading rate, fibre treatment and PLA crystallinity. Fracture toughness testing was carried out at loading rates varying from 0.5 to 20 mm/min using single-edge-notched bending specimens with 0 to 30 wt.% fibre. K(Q) (trial K(IC)) of composites decreased as loading rate increased, until stabilising to give K(IC) values at a loading rate of 10 mm/min and higher. The reduction of crazing and stress whitening, as well as a more direct crack path observed in PLA samples combined with reduced plastic deformation observed in composites provided explanation for this reduction. K(IC) of composites was found to decrease with increased fibre content and fibre treatment with sodium hydroxide. Studies controlling the degree of PLA crystallinity by heat treatment or annealing showed that reduction of K(IC) can be attributed to increased crystallinity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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