The mechanical properties of a composite manufactured from non-fibrous vegetable tissue and PVA

Plant fibres are gaining acceptance as glass fibre replacements in composit e manufacture. Currently only long vegetable fibres from plants like hemp a nd flax are used. However, all plant cells, including those that are not el ongated, have the potential to provide reinforcement because each cell is a natural nano-composite reinforced with cellulose microfibrils. These have a high theoretical stiffness and strength. In this paper we conclude that t he reinforcing capacity of the microfibrils can be used without having to c ompletely separate them. Fragments of plant cell wall were extracted from a vegetable parenchyma tissue and pressed together with PVA to form a compos ite sheet. This material had a tensile modulus of 5.4 GPa and strength of 7 0 MPa. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.