FABRICATION , PROCESSING AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FLAT BRAIDED THERMOSETTING COMPOSITES USING NATURAL AND COATED JUTE YARN

This paper submits investigation on the tensile and bending properties of the flat braided thermosetting composites made using jute yarns. Combining flat braided jute yarns (untreated and coated) and vinylester resin, composite specimens were manufactured by hand lamination method. Tensile and 3 point bending tests were conducted. Test samples were polished and preand post-failure examinations were carried out using optical and scanning electron microscopy in order to analyze the test results and their relationships to the state of resin impregnation into the fibre bundles, fibre/matrix interfacial properties and the fracture and failure mechanisms. While tensile properties were slightly degraded due to coating treatments, bending properties of the composite showed improvement when coated yarns were used. These variations in the mechanical properties were broadly related to the state of resin impregnation into the fibre bundles and/or fibre/matrix interfacial interactions.