Characterization of hybrid biocomposite Poly-Butyl-Succinate/Carbon fibers/Flax fibers

Abstract

The investigation of renewable and recyclable materials becomes more critical every day due to the high levels of waste and carbon emissions and their impact on the environment. The use of eco-friendly materials, such as natural fibers and bioplastics, is increasingly important, and their use is always more popular. The aim of this research is to evaluate the changes in properties of composite materials made of Poly-Butyl-Succinate (PBS), a biodegradable thermoplastic matrix, and carbon fiber when some layers of carbon fiber are replaced by some layers of flax fiber to create a hybrid composite; in order to obtain a material more environmentally friendly with similar mechanical properties. To modify the flax fiber's surface energy and improve the wettability with the PBS matrix, an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Torch (APPT) treatment was performed. The fibers' surfaces were characterized by measuring the contact angle; the contact angle values confirmed the wettability and accordingly, adhesion increased after plasma treatment. Different experiments were performed after substituting carbon fibers to evaluate the changes in the composite material's mechanical and thermal properties: tensile test, three-point bending test, impact tests and differential scanning calorimetry. Replacing the carbon fiber core layer with one or two flax fiber layers did not compromise the thermal stability. It led to the manufacturing of a hybrid composite with improved mechanical properties and higher impact resistance.