Properties of flax-polypropylene composites made through hybrid yarn and film stacking methods

In the present study, two distinguishable unidirectional composite structures have been produced using compression molding technique. Among these two, one is made through conventional film stacking (FSC) method while the other structure is made after consolidating the DREF spun hybrid yarns (DYC). In both cases, low twisted, MAgPP treated flax yarns are used as reinforcement and polypropylene (PP) is used as matrix. Effects of fibre content on both composite structures are studied at 40%, 50% and 60% flax contents respectively. It has been observed that irrespective of composite structure, the tensile and flexural properties of the composite samples increase with increasing flax content but the impact strength decreases with increasing flax content. However, at constant fibre volume fraction, the DYC composites demonstrate better properties than the FSC composites. This is mainly due to better fibre-matrix distribution and lower void content of the DYC composites than the FSC composites.