Table 1 Comparison of the physical, mechanical and economic properties of different fibres8,9,51
Fibre | Density (103 kg m-3) | Fibre length | Tensile strength (MPa) | Tensile modulus (GPa) | Elongationat break (%) | Breaking energy (MJ m-3) | Biodegradable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E-glass | 2.5 | Continuous | 2000–3500 | 70–85 | 2.5–5.3 | 40–50 | No |
Carbon | 1.8 | Continuous | 3000–4000 | 230–550 | 0.7–1.9 | 25 | No |
Flax | 1.4 | Discrete | 800–1500 | 60–80 | 1.2–1.6 | 7–14 | Yes |
B. mori silk | 1.3 | Continuous | 300–600 | 5–10 | 10–25 | 70 | Yes |
A. pernyi silk | 1.3 | Continuous | 500–700 | 5–10 | 30–45 | 150 | Yes |
Spider silk | 1.3 | Continuous | 900–1400 | 10–12 | 30–60 | 160–240 | Yes |
