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This data article presents tensile properties of about 1200 single carbon fibres (PYROFIL™ TRW40 50L) tested at eight different gauge lengths in the range of L0∈ [20; 80] mm with approximately 150 tested fibres for each length. The equivalent fibre diameter distribution is presented, and the mean and standard deviation are found to be df=(7.37 ± 0.34) µm. The obtained stress-strain curves are analysed by a second-order polynomial fitting method. The initial modulus, E0= (220 ± 3) GPa, and the curvature coefficient α=(3600 ± 250) GPa are determined. The failure stress distribution is analysed by the Weibull model. A Weibull parameter of m¯=6.7±0.8 is determined, and the characteristic (σ0), median (σ˜) and mean (σ¯) failure stresses are found to scale linearly with the gauge length. A length scale independent stress-length factor of σ0m¯L0=(560±60)GPam¯m is determined. The fibre properties determined in this work can be used as parameters to model the mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre composites by Weibull scaling, as done in [1] and [2].

Abstract: The importance of renewable resources in technical applications has increased. Within the framework of the studies, a bus body component based on natural fibres and PTP®, a vegetable based thermoset resin, is produced with the sheet-moulding-compound technology (SMC). Hitherto, the conventional component was produced of glass fibre reinforced polyester resin. The mid-term results of the studies show that it is possible to optimise the production of this textile semi-finished part by selecting qualified hemp fibres and developing a technically matured PTP®-SMC variant in such a way that the component production process based on the semi-finished parts need not be changed. All in all, it was possible to produce a homogeneous body part with the hemp/PTP®-prepreg due to the flow ability that was achieved for the natural fibres. The technical feasibility of producing an SMC-component based on renewable resources was demonstrated. The properties of the component, e.g. tensile strength, burning behaviour and water absorption, are shown and compared to the results of the series component. An assessment of the component from the end-user perspective is presented. According to the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation, there is no advantage in components based on renewable resources over components based on petrochemical resources. However, the application of renewable resources has advantages in terms of recycling technologies, which are accepted for SMC and which will become economically more important in the future. In comparison with the polyester system, the life-cycle assessment of the polymer material PTP® shows lower values in nearly all impact categories. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]