Characteristics of Hermès flax fibres as a function of their location in the stem and properties of the derived unidirectional composites

The tensile mechanical properties of flax fibres from the Hermès variety are estimated according to their diameter and their location in the stems. The large scattering of these properties is ascribed to the variation of the fibre size along its longitudinal axis, as revealed by SEM observations. The higher values of the mechanical properties for the fibres issued from the middle of the stems are associated with the chemical composition of their cell walls. The mechanical properties of unidirectional flax fibre/epoxy matrix composites are studied as a function of their fibre content. The properties of the composites are lower than those expected from single fibre characteristics.