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This work deals with the development and investigation of self-reinforced polylactic acid (SRPLA) composites manufactured from two different nonwoven preforms with two different bicomponent filament architectures. The SRPLA nonwovens prepared via spun bonding technology have two different bicomponent filament architectures, that is, core-sheath, and islands in the sea. For the core-sheath filaments, spunbound nonwovens are compared with the dry-laid SRPLA nonwovens. The SRPLA nonwoven preforms are compression molded at three different mold temperatures to fabricate composite plates. The optimum mold temperature is identified based on the flexural properties and residual void volume fraction of composites. The flexural modulus and strength are about 38% and 50% higher than those of the pure PolyLactic Acid (PLA) matrix, respectively. The influence of bicomponent filament architecture on the mechanical performance of composites is negligible, whereas the nonwoven architecture leads to significant differences both in the residual void volume fraction and in the mechanical properties of composites. Finally, the mechanical properties of the SRPLA composites are compared with those of the conventional composites to prove their applicability to semi-structural parts.

This work sheds light on the first steps towards using glass fiber waste for semi-structural applications. This work aims to improve the properties of random flax fiber composites by incorporating waste glass fibers (WGF) obtained from the fiber production line. The waste glass fibers were incorporated as a core structure between the flax layers to form a hybrid composite. Two routes of manufacturing viz. vacuum infusion and autoclave were used to identify the optimum route to incorporate the WGF in flax fiber composites. The quality of composites was investigated in terms of residual void content and thickness uniformity. Residual void content was identified to be directly proportional to the WGF content in the composites. With the increase in WGF content, the flexural and impact properties were increased by 47% and 117%, respectively, indicating a positive hybridization effect. Furthermore, a global warming potential indicator was identified to be small, indicating the eco-friendliness of these composites.