Effect of woven flax structures on morphology and properties of reinforced modified polylactide composites

Author
Suchart Siengchin1,2⇑
Rapeephun Dangtungee3

1. ¹Production Engineering Department, The Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangsue, Bangkok, Thailand
2. ²Natural Composite Research Group, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangsue, Bangkok, Thailand
3. ³Department of Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangsue, Bangkok, Thailand

1. Suchart Siengchin, Production Engineering Department, The Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, 1518 Wongsawang Road, Bangsue, Bangkok 10800, Thailand. Email: suchart.s.pe@tggs-bangkok.org

Abstract

Composites composed of polylactide (PLA), modified PLA and woven flax fiber textiles (flax weave style of 2 × 2 twill and 4 × 4 hopsack) were produced by hot press technique. Two structurally different additives were used to modify PLA. The dispersion of the flax in the composites was studied by scanning electron microscopy and computed microtomography system (µCT). The PLA composites were subjected to water absorption and instrumented falling weight impact tests. The thermomechanical and creep properties of the composites were determined using thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic-mechanical thermal analysis and short-time creep tests. It was found that the modified PLA and its composite increased the impact resistance compared with the unmodified PLA. Incorporation of flax decreased resistance to thermal degradation and increased water uptake. The impact energy and stiffness value of PLA/flax composites were markedly higher than that of PLA but reflect the effects of composite structures and flax content. The storage modulus master curves were constructed by applying the time–temperature superposition principle. From the master curve data, the effect of modified PLA on the storage modulus was more pronounced in the low frequency range.

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http://jtc.sagepub.com/content/26/10/1424.abstract