Circular Economy of Composite Materials Using Waste Jute Fibers and Recycled Polyester Fibers as a Reinforcement for Packaging Applications

Sustainable packaging is an emerging trend that contributes successfully to the development of the packaging industry.The use of waste in the production of fiber reinforced composites for packaging applications is one of the promising approaches to reduce the environmental impacts of using plastics, and assist in preserving wood-based materials.In this study, eight laminated composite panels reinforced with waste jute and recycled polyester fibers in a polypropylene matrix were produced to be used in packaging applications.The influence of changing the reinforcement type and ratio, and hybridization between the reinforcement materials with different stacking sequences on the composite panel's performance was investigated.The mechanical properties of the composite panels such as tensile, flexural and impact strengths, in addition to their physical properties such as density, water absorption, thickness swelling and moisture content were studied.The disintegration behavior of the composite samples was assessed through applying a simulated composting burial test under controlled laboratory conditions for 4 months.The results indicated that the 3-layers polyester composite sample exhibited the highest tensile and impact strengths, as well it showed the lowest water absorption, thickness swelling, moisture content and degree of disintegration compared to the other samples.The hybrid composite sample with a stacking sequence of recycled jute and polyester layers PET/J/PET presented the highest flexural strength and modulus values.Overall, the hybrid composite samples PET/J/PET and J/PET/J revealed improved mechanical and physical performance compared to the pure jute composites and the hybrid integrated jute/polyester composites.Thus, the proposed recycled polyester and hybrid jute/polyester composites with stacking sequence have the potential to be used as ecofriendly and costeffective panels for packaging boxes applications.