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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Contribution to the development of 100% bio-based composites : synthesis of bio-based polyepoxides, supercritical CO2 treatment of hemp fibers and impact on the materials properties.

subject

description

This thesis contributes to the development of 100% bio-based hemp/epoxy composites. Current environmental issues favor the emergence of materials derived from renewable resources such as plant fibres and a wide range of bio-based building-blocks, source of epoxy prepolymers in particular. An intensive investigation of the two constituents (hemp fibres and polyepoxidic matrix) is carried out before the composites manufacturing. Supercritical CO2 treatment is applied to hemp fibres used as reinforcement in composite materials. This treatment, not optimized, leads to better individualization as well as a decrease in the hygroscopic power of the fibres. These aspects, which are essential in order to guarantee good properties for the final composite, are nevertheless qualified by a loss of mechanical properties at the fibre scale but also at the composite scale. In the same way, the decrease in the hygroscopic power of the hemp fibres after treatment is reflected at the composite scale, thus improving the durability of the crosslinked material. The synthesis of the epoxy resins used in this study is made from abundant resources such as lignin. The thermosetting polyepoxides prepared in this study have good performance, compatible with the specification for composite applications with plant fibres reinforcement. In view of the results obtained, 100% bio-based composites are materials with a high future potential. Nevertheless, their development requires a comprehensive sustainability study.