Effects of Corona treatment on the biosourced composites: flax/polyester composite

Biosourced composite are being developed for lightweight uses in many industrial sectors, namely the automotive, aeronautic, sport equipments, etc. But these materials may need improvements of their properties and processes to reach their full commercial potential. In particular, the polar character of natural fibers is the main cause of the incompatibility with some matrixes. The objective of this paper is to improve the properties of flax fibers/polyester composites by Corona discharge treatment. The mechanical properties of composites reinforced with treated fibers and composites reinforced with untreated fibers are compared to highlight the effect of Corona discharge. For the compatibility effect of this treatment, analyzes of fibers, such as FT-IR spectra analysis, topography analysis, SEM analysis, allowed to compare the treated and untreated fibers.