Interface tailoring between flax yarns and epoxy matrix by ZnO nanorods

To improve plant fibres/polymer matrix adhesion, the surface of flax yarns was modified by zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods, which were synthesized through a hydrothermal treatment. Several parameters analysed in order to obtain uniform and homogeneous ZnO interphase, such as number seeding cycles, growth times replacement solution. The results showed that it is possible highly oriented nanostructures (by FE-SEM), with an hexagonal wurtzite structure XRD) high degree coverage along whole yarn TGA), reducing seed rather long (5 h) refreshing optimized synthesis preserved breaking force yarns, while Single Fibre Fragmentation Tests (SFFT) highlighted better interfacial adhesion ZnO-modified epoxy matrix, confirmed 29% reduction average debonding length relative untreated yarns.