Analyses of woven hemp fabric characteristics for composite reinforcement

The potential of plant fibres in composite material components can be enhanced by applying hemp fibres for fabrication of composites with aligned fibres. Fibre alignment can be enhanced by converting it into yarn. Applying fabric instead of yarn not only could enhance the fibre alignment but also could enhance the reinforcement handling during the composite fabrication. This paper presents a detailed characterisation of the woven hemp fabric. Two different batches of fabric with a similar quality were analysed to seek the difference between them. Both fabrics possessed similar physical properties as they were intentionally designed to have balanced properties in warp and weft direction. There was also a slight difference in their thermal behaviour but the differences between both fabrics allow their chemical compositions to be measured. These measured chemical compositions reflect their fibre density and mechanical properties. In terms of mechanical properties, their behaviours and properties were slightly different but via the inferential statistics, both fabrics were proven to have similar tensile strength and tensile modulus. The total cover factors for both fabrics were similar with 66% of fabric sheet that were covered by yarn and presumably could give good penetration of resin in composite fabrication. The findings of this study conclude that both woven hemp fabrics can be used and is suitable for composite reinforcement