Comparison between dew‐retted and enzyme‐retted flax fibers as reinforcing material for composites

Abstract

Two kinds of retted Canadian linseed flax fibers, dew‐retted (F1) and enzyme‐retted flax fibers (F2) were characterized in detail for their applications in composites, such as retting degree, thermal stability, tensile strength, and interfacial behavior in polypropylene (PP) matrix. It's clear from Scanning Electron Micrograph that the aspect ratio of F2 was much higher than that of F1 in the light of their separated elementary fibers in most cases. Instead, the elementary fibers of F1 remained tightly bundled into technical fiber wrapping with more non‐cellulose portions. This reflected its lower retting degree and resulted in its lower thermal stability. Single fiber tensile test and single fiber pull‐out test were used to evaluate the fiber tensile properties and fiber/PP interfacial shear strength, respectively. Better retting degree and fewer damages on F2 endowed F2 better tensile property. Consequently, higher aspect ratio, retting degree, and tensile strength proved F2 to be a kind of better reinforcing material than F1 for composites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. 2011 published by Society of Plastics Engineers

Linen Most Useful: Perspectives on Structure, Chemistry, and Enzymes for Retting Flax

“…Bioprep-treated fiber was not tested in the miniature spinning system or for biocomposites to this author's knowledge. An engineered pectate lyase from Xanthomonas campestris, however, was developed and used at 37°C and pH 8.5 to “bioscour” commercially grown and decorticated linseed flax [ 134 – 136 ]. Matched PL-treated and untreated fibers were then used in manufactured biocomposites.…”

“…Other linseed straw samples, which had been left in the field for a few weeks and then decorticated and treated with X. campestris PL for various times up to 46 hr followed by chelator, did not result in improved biocomposites [ 135 ]. Still further tests of commercially decorticated linseed straw showed that PL-retted fibers, although finer and cleaner than untreated ones, performed better in tensile strength tests but not in interfacial shear strength tests [ 136 ]. Further assessment is required to optimize use of Bioprep and other pectate lyases as a retting enzyme for flax.…”

Characterization and biological depectinization of hemp fibers originating from different stem sections

“…Traditional methods of retting include field retting and water retting. Field retting is subject to weather conditions, and causes significant scattering of fiber properties and extended field retting can even damage the fibers (Liu et al, 2015), whereas water retting, subjected to geographic regions, is also uncontrolled with respect to the modification of the fibers and moreover causes serious ecological problems (Hu et al, 2012). An alternative retting method is controlled microbiological retting.…”

Trends in the improvement of methods and equipment for the assessment of flax raw material (review)

“…Как показывает исторический анализ отрасли льноводства, проведенный рядом исследователей, получение высококачественного льносырья всегда было достаточно сложной задачей [3]. Особенность льнопроизводства в том, что выращивание и производство тресты находится в сильной зависимости от метеорологических условий [4,5,6,7]. В настоящее время количество факторов, влияющих на получение льнопродукции, многократно возросло, и в таких условиях номер тресты с одного поля может варьировать от 2 до 6 сортономеров.…”

“…Основная часть. В настоящее время оценку качества льнотресты и льноволокна проводят в соответствии с требованиями, указанными в ГОСТ 24383-89 «Треста льняная» 4 , ГОСТ 10330-76 «Лен трепаный» 5 , ГОСТ Р 53143-2008 «Треста льняная» 6 и ГОСТ Р 53484-2009 «Лен трепаный» 7 .…”