Manufacturing and Investigation of Unidirectional Polymer Composite Materials Based on Mineral, Chemical, and Plant Fibers

Abstract

Unidirectional samples of polymer composite materials based on fillers made of chemical, mineral, and plant fibers, as well as hybrid materials with carbon and plant fibers, have been manufactured. Physicomechanical properties of the composite samples, such as strength, Young’s modulus, and ultimate strain, have been investigated. It has been shown that the highest strain is characteristic of the composite based on polyacrylonitrile tow (ε = 6.35%). Basalt, glass, and carbon fiber reinforced plastics have similar strength values of 1000–1200 MPa. The composite based on carbon roving possesses the highest elastic modulus (E = 66.92 GPa). Composite samples made of flax and hemp fibers have a strength of 100–127 MPa and an elastic modulus of 4.7–5.6 GPa, comparable to composites based on polyacrylonitrile fibers. Hybrid composites made of flax and carbon fibers exhibit intermediate combined properties—higher strength and Young’s modulus than flax fiber composites, and greater deformability than carbon fiber composites.