Vigilancia tecnológica

Composites were prepared from a polypropylene (PP) homopolymer and four types of organic fibers, wood, flax, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Mechanical properties were studied by tensile and impact testing, and structure by scanning electron microscopy. Local deformation processes were followed by acoustic emission testing. Composite strength changes in a wider range and depends on coupling. The deformability of the composites also varies considerably, more plastic deformation occurring in composites prepared with the PET and PVA fibers. Compared to traditional stiff fibers, fracture resistance can be improved significantly with PET and PVA fibers; impact strength as large as 30?kJ/m2 can be achieved with PVA.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.