Tensile Behaviour of Double-Edge Notched Flax Braided Yarn Woven Fabric Reinforced PLA Composite

Biodegradable composites were fabricated from poly-lactic acid (PLA) reinforced by flax braided-yarn woven fabric. Composites with different fabric content (corresponding to the 1, 2 and 3 layers of fabric respectively) were obtained by solution casting and compression moulding processes. Tensile fracture properties were evaluated using the double-edge-notch-tension (DENT) test. A scanning electron microscope was used to look at the fractographic features. Reinforcement of braided-yarn fabric resulted in enhanced tensile fracture strength (& sigma;f) and toughness of PLA composite. Fracture toughness (KIC) of the composite improved with the fibre contents, namely 64, 79 and 89%, which correspond to 1, 2 and 3 layers of fabric. The improvement in the tensile fracture characteristics of the composites could be contributed by the presence of an effective interfacial bonding of fibre matrix.

Automated summary

Biodegradable composites were successfully fabricated by incorporating flax braided-yarn woven fabric into poly-lactic acid (PLA). The addition of the braided-yarn fabric as reinforcement resulted in improved tensile fracture strength and toughness of the PLA composite. The increase in fibre content corresponded to an enhanced fracture toughness of the composite.