A Mechanical Analysis of In Situ Polymerized Poly(butylene terephthalate) Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites Produced by RTM

Abstract

This work addresses mechanical characterization in tension of woven flax fabric reinforced in situ polymerized poly(butylene terephthalate) composites, produced by the RTM technique. A brief description of the developed RTM set-up is made and the composite manufacturing details are presented. A morphological analysis of the mechanically characterized materials by Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) is also made. The produced neat polymer (pCBT) showed a brittle behavior and mechanical properties lower than those found in the literature. Its reinforcement with woven flax fabric resulted in an enhancement of both tensile strength and stiffness. The obtained results can be significantly improved by the polymer modifying chemically , optimizing the control of the processing parameters, and subjecting flax fibers to a surface treatment compatible with the CBT 160 resin.