Mechanical performance and damage tolerance of bio-based polymer composites with man made cellulose fibre reinforcement

In the present study new combinations of fibres and resins from renewable resources are used as constituent materials in structural composites. Viscose fibres made from regeneratedcellulose (Cordenka) and high quality spun flax fibres are combined with two types of biobased thermosetting resins. The viscose fibres combine the main advantages of natural fibres, e.g. renewable origin and high specific properties whilst lacking many of the disadvantages of natural fibres such as limited length and variability due to location of growth and so on.The resins are Tribest which is made from vegetable oils as well as Furolite and Biorez which are made from agricultural waste. The Tribest resin has processing characteristics similar tovinylesters: being initiated with peroxide. The Furolite and Biorez resins have similarities to phenolic resins: curing with a condensation reaction where water is produced. These resinsalso have good fire retarding properties.The mechanical performance and damage tolerance of these composites have been evaluated.Comparisons are made to glass and flax fibre composites.Although composites with different fiber volume contents were manufactured and tested, the comparison of mechanical performance is somewhat favourable for Crodenka basedcomposites. Initial results for Cordenka/Tribest composites show high maximum stress.Promising values were also obtained for the Flax/Tribest composites.Godkänd; 2010; 20111005 (joffe