Effect of Ultraviolet and Moisture Aging on the Mechanical Properties of Hemp Fibers Composites
Abstract
Polypropylene reinforced by hemp fibers composites were prepared by injection method. An aging chamber was used to simulate and accelerate the natural ageing process. The influence of moisture and UV aging on the mechanical properties of the composites is studied in this paper. A modified law of mixtures applying to polypropylene/hemp fibers composites is proposed. The microstructures of the composites during aging treatment were analyzed by means of digital microscope. We can see that the moisture and UV aging reduced the mechanical properties of the composites. The UV aging is more penalizing on the mechanical properties of composites, compared to the moisture aging after 4 weeks of exposure.