Article
FECT OF ALKALI TREATMENT ON LOAD BEARING CAPACITY OF NATURAL FLAX FIBER EPOXY COMPOSITES
Natural fibers, particularly flax, are recognized as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fibers in composite materials. Their use is growing due to their low cost, biodegradability, and sustainability. This study investigates the effect of alkali treatment on the load-bearing capacity of natural flax fiber epoxy composites. Flax fibers were treated with 5% and 10% NaOH solutions to enhance the fibermatrix interaction, and the composites were fabricated using the hand layup technique with an epoxy resin matrix. A series of mechanical tests were conducted, including low-velocity impact, drop weight tests, quasi-static indentation, and water absorption tests. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the load-bearing capacity of the alkali-treated composites, particularly in low-velocity impact and indentation resistance, with 10% NaOH-treated fibers exhibiting the highest performance. Alkali treatment enhanced the interfacial bonding between the flax fibers and epoxy resin, leading to better stress transfer and increased energy absorption during impact. However, the water absorption test showed a slight reduction in moisture uptake, suggesting that alkali treatment improves the composite's moisture resistance. Despite the enhanced performance, higher NaOH concentrations (10%) caused slight fiber degradation, affecting the elongation at break. Overall, the findings suggest that alkali treatment effectively improves the mechanical properties and durability of flax fiber composites, making them suitable for high-performance, eco-friendly applications, provided that the NaOH concentration is optimized
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