Parodo Gianluca, Sorrentino Luca, Turchetta Sandro, Moffa Giuseppe
Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy.
Materials (Basel). 2024 Sep 28;17(19):4768. doi: 10.3390/ma17194768.
The widespread use of synthetic composite materials has raised environmental concerns due to their non-biodegradability and energy-intensive production. This paper explores the potential of natural composites, specifically flax-polypropylene, as a sustainable alternative to traditional composites for semi-structural applications. In fact, the mechanical properties of flax-polypropylene composites are similar to synthetic ones (such as those made with E-glass fibers). However, processing challenges related to fiber-matrix interaction and material degradation necessitate suited process parameters for this sustainable type of material. For this reason, this review highlights the importance of optimizing existing manufacturing processes, such as hot press molding, to better accommodate the specific characteristics of polypropylene-flax composites. By refining the parameters and techniques involved in hot press molding, researchers should overcome current limitations and fully capitalize on its potential to produce composite materials of optimal quality. Therefore, a comprehensive literature assessment was conducted to analyze the properties and processing challenges of flax-polypropylene composites. Key process parameters affecting the material's performance are identified and discussed. By optimizing process parameters for flax-polypropylene composites, it is possible to develop a sustainable and high-performance material with a reduced environmental footprint. Further research is needed to scale up production and explore different applications for this sustainable composite material.
合成复合材料的广泛使用因其不可生物降解性和能源密集型生产而引发了环境问题。本文探讨了天然复合材料，特别是亚麻-聚丙烯，作为传统复合材料用于半结构应用的可持续替代品的潜力。事实上，亚麻-聚丙烯复合材料的机械性能与合成复合材料（如由E玻璃纤维制成的复合材料）相似。然而，与纤维-基体相互作用和材料降解相关的加工挑战需要适合这种可持续材料类型的工艺参数。因此，本综述强调了优化现有制造工艺（如热压成型）的重要性，以便更好地适应聚丙烯-亚麻复合材料的特定特性。通过完善热压成型所涉及的参数和技术，研究人员应克服当前的局限性，并充分利用其潜力来生产质量最优的复合材料。因此，进行了全面的文献评估，以分析亚麻-聚丙烯复合材料的性能和加工挑战。确定并讨论了影响材料性能的关键工艺参数。通过优化亚麻-聚丙烯复合材料的工艺参数，有可能开发出一种具有减少环境足迹的可持续高性能材料。需要进一步开展研究以扩大生产规模并探索这种可持续复合材料的不同应用。
