Interlaminar shear and flexural properties of three-dimensional braided glass fiber/polylactic acid composites

Abstract

To address the problem of environmental pollution caused by the transitional use of petroleum-based composites, a green and environmentally friendly thermoplastic resin compound molding process is proposed. In this study, continuous glass fiber (GF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites were prepared. The coupling agent KH550 was used to modify the preforms to enhance the interfacial properties. The three-dimensional (3D) braiding technology and hot pressing were adopted to produce the samples. Then, the crystallinity, transverse shear stress, interlaminar shear, and bending properties of samples were tested. Finally, the effects of GF content, preform thickness, cutting edge, and KH550 concentration on the longitudinal bending properties of composites were investigated. The results showed that GF improved the crystallinity of PLA, and the bending performance was better at a GF content of 40% and a preform thickness of 9 mm. The cutting edge has little effect on the mechanical properties of the composites and can be cut according to the requirements. The best mechanical properties are achieved at a KH550 concentration of 40%.