Effects of hygrothermal ageing on mechanical properties of flax pulps and their polypropylene matrix composites

The aim of this work was to study the kinetics of water uptake and its influence on mechanical behavior of both flax pulps and their composites with a maleic anhydride polypropylene copolymer (MAPP) modified polypropylene (PP) matrix by immersion in distilled water at 30, 50, 70, and 100 degrees C. Both the influence of two different MAPP compatibilizers and the optimum doses of each ones were analyzed. The kinetics of water uptake was studied from weight measurements at regular interval times. The diffusion coefficient was dependent on the immersion temperature and MAPP content. Tensile modulus and strength of single flax fiber decreased by water immersion. Both flexural strength and modulus of composites decreased as a result of the combined effect of thermal ageing and moisture absorption. MAPP coupling agent increases moisture resistance and mechanical properties for MAPP-modified systems with respect to the unmodified ones. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.