Development and application of nonwovens based on palm fiber as reinforcements of unsaturated polyester

This work aims to investigate the potential of nonwovens made from untreated (U) and alkaline/bleaching treated (T) palm, wool, and polyester fibers as reinforcing materials in polyester matrix for automotive interior applications. Four needle-punched nonwovens were developed and used with and without chloropropyltriethoxysilane (CPTS) treatment as polyester matrix fillers. Eight composite panels were made using the resin transfer molding machine process and compared to the matrix panel in terms of physical, mechanical, thermal, and climate resistance. The produced composite materials have smooth surfaces and provide consumers with four different aesthetically pleasing finishes. The physical results reveal that the UPalm/Wool and UPalm/Polyester nonwovens lower matrix density from 1223.3 Kg/m3 to 1022.3 and 1040.7 Kg/m3, respectively. The SEM images show that palm fibers are more adherent to the matrix after being treated with an alkaline/bleaching solution. This adhesion is also improved after nonwovens are treated with the CPTS precursor. The composite reinforced with CPTS-treated TPalm/Polyester nonwoven has the highest tensile strength and modulus (72.1 MPa and 3.76 GPa), which are 127% and 36% greater than those of the polyester matrix, respectively. The matrix’s flexural strength and modulus are also enhanced by 148% and 59%, respectively, after reinforcing with CPTS-treated TPalm/Polyester nonwoven. The use of TPalm/Wool and TPalm/Polyester nonwovens as polyester matrix fillers reduces their thermal conductivity from 0.125 W/(m.K) to 0.081 and 0.095 W/(m.K), respectively. Moreover, the climate aging results indicate that composites reinforced with CPTS-treated nonwovens are more stable to climate, implying their applicability and durability in automotive interior applications.