Average tensile properties of French elementary flax fibers

In a composite ecodesign approach, flax fibers could be good candidates for glass fiber substitution. However, their use in industrial applications could be restricted due to their scattered mechanical properties. In this study, we compared tensile properties of 50 batches of flax (Linum usitatissimum) fibers, cultivated in France between 1993 and 2011. Thus, 2954 fibers were tested in the same conditions according to the XP T 25-501-2 standard. Reliable specific data are suggested to be a basis for design calculation. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.