Partially Compacted Commingled PLA-Flax Biocomposites

Abstract

Non-woven materials feature unique properties that allow them to be used in different applications, such as the automotive sector that is increasingly seeking lightweight and sustainable materials. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of reinforcement type and porosity on the properties of commingled, partially compacted composites based on polypropylene (PP) and polylactic acid (PLA). Furthermore, a model was applied to predict the properties of such composites, i.e., the elastic modulus, to aid materials development. It was found that high properties could be achieved using flax as reinforcement for partially compacted fleece biocomposites. Porosity is an important factor influencing these types of composites and was influenced by the compaction grade achieved as a result of stacking different numbers of layers during the consolidation of the composites. The modeling of the elastic modulus was found to be adequate for both PP-flax and PLA-flax composites for porosities under 20 vol.%.