Experimental characterization of hemp woven fabric reinforced epoxy resin composites produced without heat treatment

In the field of composite materials there is growing emphasis on environmental impacts, resulting in the replacement of synthetic-based components with bio-based components, and in particular, attention to the production process. The focus of the paper is the production of a composite reinforced with natural fibers, which can find applications in the construction field as the reinforcement of wooden structural elements, or as a skin for boards or sandwich panels. In this sector, it is not necessary to achieve very high mechanical performance as in the automotive sector. On the other hand, the cost of the product must be kept low and the production process simple. The proposed composite was prepared with an epoxy resin matrix reinforced with a bidirectional woven fabric made of hemp fibres without any heat treatment. The composites were hand laminated and manufactured by cold moulding to reduce energy consumption. To optimize the behaviour of the composite, various specimens were manufactured, and factors such as the curing pressure, quantity of resin and layer orientation were modified. Tensile strength tests were conducted on specimens according to the ASTM D3039 standard.