The penetration of epoxy resin into plant fibre cell walls increases the stiffness of plant fibre composites

A treatment is described that enables epoxy resin to penetrate into the cel l walls of plant fibres. This ensures a very good interface in the cured co mposites, mimicking the way that interfaces are formed in animal and plant materials. The treatment involves swelling the plant cell walls with urea s olution, washing out the excess urea and then replacing the water with alco hol in a graded series. Epoxy resin can then penetrate into the swollen cel l wall and mix with the alcohol. The alcohol is probably driven off during curing of the resin. This treatment increased the stiffness of composites m ade from flax fibres and epoxy resin. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.