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Development and performance evaluation of knitted hybrid yarn prepreg composites incorporating recycled ocean waste
Summary
Scientists made a new material by combining plastic collected from the ocean with plant-based fibers (flax) and a biodegradable plastic (PLA), creating a stronger, more water-resistant composite than plant fiber alone. This matters because it offers a practical way to reuse ocean plastic waste in useful products, like car parts or construction materials, instead of letting it break down into microplastics that can end up in our water, food, and bodies.
This study explored a sustainable hybrid composite produced by integrating ocean-waste polypropylene (PP) with polylactic acid (PLA) and flax prepreg to mitigate ocean plastic pollution while improving biocomposite performance. Compression moulding was used to combine 3D-printed ocean-waste PP sheets with PLA/flax prepregs, forming a hybrid composite (OWPF). Its mechanical and thermal properties were compared with those of a PLA/flax biocomposite (PF) and an ocean-waste PP laminate (OW). Tensile, flexural, and impact tests revealed that OWPF exhibited superior mechanical properties, achieving tensile strength of 31.5 MPa, flexural strength of 65.4 MPa, and impact strength of 6.83 kJ/m². These improvements are attributed to enhanced interfacial bonding and reduced moisture absorption resulting from the PP/PLA hybrid matrix. Moisture uptake of OWPF was significantly lower (3.36% after 25 days) than PF (6.09%). Thermal analysis showed a higher initial degradation temperature of 303.25°C, indicating suitability for applications under extreme environmental conditions while promoting sustainability.