article · Heliyon
This research evaluates the use of Triumfetta cordifolia fibres, a plant material sourced from tropical Africa, for manufacturing needle-punched nonwoven composite fabrics. Using carding and needling technologies, mats were prepared by blending these fibres with either polylactide or polypropylene at an equal ratio. The resulting materials were tested for surface density, thickness, flexural rigidity, and tensile strength, with their internal structures examined via electron microscopy. Performance was directly benchmarked against commercial flax and hemp nonwovens commonly used in automotive interiors. Higher surface mass boosted tensile strength and stiffness, with properties shaped by the orientation of fibres introduced during processing. The choice of polymer matrix also affected material performance. Overall, Triumfetta cordifolia exhibited competitive properties, indicating it can match the performance of standard commercial bast fibres in nonwoven composite applications.
Manufacturers are searching for sustainable, plant-based materials to replace synthetic components. Identifying local, accessible plant fibres like Triumfetta cordifolia that match the performance of established commercial alternatives provides sustainable raw material options, supports environmental objectives, and creates local economic opportunities.
This work demonstrates an applied, tested pathway for Triumfetta cordifolia fibres as bio-sourced reinforcements in composite components, specifically highlighting automotive interiors alongside standard hemp and flax. Manufacturers seeking natural fibre nonwovens could adopt this material using standard carding and needling methods, offering an early-stage to intermediate alternative supply chain for regional industrial production.
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(TCF) and giving it an opportunity to be used in composite nonwoven applications. Two types of TCF nonwoven mats blended with polylactide fibers for one and polypropylene fibers for the other at a mass ratio of 50 : 50 were manufactured using carding and needling technology. The aim of the present work is to compare the different types of TCF-based nonwovens with other nonwovens based on commercial bast fibers, namely flax and hemp, known for their use in automotive interiors. The nonwoven fabrics were characterized in terms of weight per unit area, thickness, tensile strength and flexural rigidity. In addition, morphological aspects of fiber organization, density and distribution within the nonwoven reinforcement were observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The results revealed great variability in terms of surface density and thickness. Increasing the surface mass of nonwovens led to an increase in mechanical performance in terms of strength and stiffness, while retaining anisotropy in terms of fiber orientation, which has a significant effect on mechanical behavior due to the preferential fiber orientation generated during carding. In addition, the type of thermoplastic polymer fiber in the nonwoven mat has an influence on the characteristics evaluated. The results obtained showed that TCFs are good candidates, given their competitive performance and availability compared with flax and hemp fibers, and that they can be used in the same composite applications. Such a non-woven mattress based on TCFs from the tropical African region, manufactured using carding and needling technology, could open up opportunities to create new value-added products that can benefit these countries from an economic and ecological point of view.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17888
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