Tensile Property of the Flax/polyester Composites after Water Treatment

摘要

Flax fabric was woven and composites were produced by using the VARI technique with flax fabric as the reinforcement and unsaturated polyester as the matrix. Laminates with two, three and four layers were fabricated respectively. After saturated in the water for different durations of time (7, 14,21 and 30 days), the tensile strength of the composites was tested. After being soaked in the water for 7, 14 and 21 days, the tensile strength of the two-layer composites was decreased. For the three and four layers specimens, the tensile strength was increased initially with water treatment for 7 and 14 days,and decreased for 21 and 30 days. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that it might be contributed to the thickness of the two-layer composites. The thinner specimen is easier to be damaged by the penetrated moisture owing to the delamination between the fiber and the matrix after water immersion. For the three and four layers specimens, their contradictory tensile strength suggests that the thicker specimen can delay the moisture permeation and is of better water durability.