Accelerated ageing of surface modified flax fiber reinforced composites

Abstract The overall aim of this study is to evaluate application-oriented potential of biocomposites made of surface-modified flax fibers for use in engineering thermoplastics. The scope of the study includes analysis of the effect of a partially bio-based epoxy-coating, a silane treatment and a combined epoxy-coating / silane treatment of the flax fibers on the mechanical behavior of biocomposites after thermo-oxidative aging. The treated flax fabrics were subjected to tensile tests as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to compare their mechanical behavior and fracture surface. The natural fiber reinforced biocomposites were manufactured through film-stacking of the treated fabrics and polyamide 6 (PA6) using hot-pressing. The durability of the biocomposites after climate-change tests was confirmed via tensile and bending testing. The results show beneficial mechanical behavior of treated fabrics and corresponding biocomposites, but also negative affected durability of treated composites after climate-change tests. Treatment of the fabrics with subsequent accelerated aging leads to a similar low level of tensile and bending moduli.