Adhesion test of resin-infused basalt fibers for wind energy applications

Rotor wind blades are principally made of E-glass fibers reinforcement into an epoxy resin. This fibers have already reached the limit of their mechanical properties, therefore new materials are needed. On one hand, carbon fibers offer a higher level in both stiffness and strength, but come at a significantly higher price. Basalt fibers, on the other hand, represent a viable alternative to E-glass, with better mechanical properties at a comparable price. The strength of basalt fibers can be fruitfully used in wind energy applications if the strength of the fibers is transmitted to the matrix. Therefore, the fiber-matrix-adhesion is a crucial parameter that characterize the composite's quality. The aim of this paper is to present the possibility for different tests methods concerning fiber-matrix-adhesion.