Analysis of interfacial properties in flax yarn-reinforced epoxy resin composites

Abstract

With the increasing demand for green materials, natural fiber-reinforced composites have garnered significant attention due to their environmental benefits and cost-effectiveness. However, the weak interfacial bonding between flax fibers and resin matrices limits their broader application. This study systematically investigates the interfacial properties of single-ply and double-ply flax yarn-reinforced epoxy resin composites, focusing on interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and its influencing factors. Pull-out tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical behavior of yarns under varying embedded lengths, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to characterize interfacial failure modes. Critical embedded lengths were determined as 1.49 mm for single-ply and 2.71 mm for double-ply configurations. Results demonstrate that the tensile strength and elastic modulus of flax yarns decrease significantly with increasing gauge length. Single-ply yarns exhibit higher IFSS (30.90–32.03 MPa) compared to double-ply yarns (20.61–25.21 MPa), attributed to their tightly aligned fibers and larger interfacial contact area. Single-ply composites predominantly fail through interfacial debonding, whereas double-ply composites exhibit a hybrid failure mechanism involving interfacial separation, fiber slippage, and matrix fracture, caused by stress inhomogeneity from their multi-strand twisted structure. The study reveals that interfacial failure originates from the incompatibility between hydrophilic fibers and hydrophobic resin, coupled with stress concentration effects induced by the yarn’s multi-level hierarchical structure. These findings provide theoretical guidance for optimizing interfacial design in flax fiber composites to enhance load-transfer efficiency, advancing their application in lightweight, eco-friendly materials.