Evolution of stiffness in flax yarn within flax fiber reinforced composites during moisture absorption

This study aims to investigate the evolution of stiffness in flax yarn within flax fiber reinforced composites (FFRCs) during moisture absorption, focusing on the influence of moisture content on the microstructure of flax fibers. To characterize the hygroscopic mechanical behaviors of flax yarns in FFRCs, the hygroscopicity and tensile properties of dried and impregnated flax yarns were tested at various humidity levels. A multi-scale modeling approach was utilized to simulate the stiffness in flax yarn within FFRCs, encompassing the modeling of cell wall layers of the flax elementary fiber, flax elementary fiber and twisted flax yarn. Specifically, the variation trends of the microfiber angle (MFA) in the S2 layer and the stiffness degradation of the combined amorphous matrix (CAM) with respect to relative moisture content (RMC) were proposed and determined through simulation and inversion calculation. The study reveals that the MFA in the S2-layer is the most crucial parameter affecting the longitudinal elastic properties of flax yarn in FFRCs, while the stiffness degradation of the CAM significantly influences the transverse elastic properties. Finally, this study establishes a relationship between the overall stiffness of flax yarn in FFRCs and the RMC. This relationship provides a parameter foundation for accurately predicting the mechanical properties of FFRCs during moisture absorption.