Mechanical properties of glass/flax hybrid composites based on a novel modified soybean oil matrix material

In the Affordable Composites from Renewable Resources (ACRES) program at the University of Delaware, soybean oil and other plant triglycerides have been made amenable to polymerization using a broad range of chemical routes. The resultant polymers range in properties from soft rubbers to hard thermosets for composite applications. In this paper we present an investigation of the mechanical properties of glass/flax hybrid composites based on these thermoset matrix materials. Composites with different glass/flax ratios and different fiber arrangements were made using a modified soybean oil matrix material. The fiber arrangement was varied to make symmetric and unsymmetric composites. The latter were tested in different modes in flexural tests and drop weight impact tests. The mechanical properties of the composites were found to depend upon the glass/flax ratio and the arrangement of fibers in the composite. On proper selection of the arrangement of fibers in the composite, the glass fibers and flax fibers were found to act synergistically resulting in an improved flexural and impact performance.