Nonwoven Hemp Fibre Reinforced Acrodur Biocomposites and their Mechanical Performance in Immersed Water

The use of natural plant fibres such as flax, hemp, kenaf, jute and wood fibres as reinforcement in both thermoplastics and thermosets has increased dramatically during the last twenty years. These natural fibre biocomposites compare well with glass fibre reinforced polymer composites in terms of recyclability when using a thermoplastic matrix and energy recovery through incineration when using a thermoset matrix, and with traditional structural materials in terms of specific mechanical properties [1]. Thermoset polymers are particularly attractive as matrix materials for natural plant fibre reinforced biocomposite production as they generally have reactive functional groups that make them compatible with hydrophilic fibre surfaces [1].