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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #189859
Title: BIODEGRADABLE, CELLULOSIC-BASED NONWOVEN COMPOSITES: 1. THERMAL INSULATION PROPERTIES

Author
item Yachmenev, Valeriy
item NEGULESCU, IOAN - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV.
item YAN, CHEN - LOUISIANA STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Polymers for Advanced Technologies
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/28/2005
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: In the U.S., more than 10 million vehicles are scrapped each year, sending about four million tons of waste to landfills, thus creating significant environmental problems. Currently, automotive textiles are made from synthetic, petro-based polymer materials that are not biodegradable. The use of cellulosic fibers, such as cotton, kenaf, ramie, and bagasse, in the manufacturing of nonwoven composites for a variety of automotive parts could significantly enhance their "end of life" biodegradability and also improve their thermal insulation properties. Two different sets of "sandwich-type" nonwoven materials were manufactured by layering cellulosic webs and readily biodegradable binders, such as polyvinyl alcohol and Eastar Biocopolymer. A "Steady State" heat flow meter was used for evaluation of the thermal insulation properties of these biodegradable, low cost nonwoven composites. The data demonstrates that the thermal insulation properties of cellulosic-based nonwoven composite materials vary significantly, depending on the type of the vegetable fibers, nature and quantity of the binder, design, and the resulting bulk density of composites. These data will provide valuable information for the manufacturer to select the most suitable cellulosic fibers for automotive nonwoven materials. Groups benefiting from this development include the textile industry, industrial and academic textile scientists and the consumer of such products.

Technical Abstract: In the U.S., more than 10 million vehicles are scrapped each year, sending about four million tons of waste to landfills, thus creating significant environmental problems. Currently, automotive textiles are made from synthetic, petro-based polymer materials that are not biodegradable. The use of cellulosic fibers, such as cotton, kenaf, ramie, and bagasse, in the manufacturing of nonwoven composites for a variety of automotive parts, such as headliners, wall panels, and trunk liners, could significantly enhance their "end of life" biodegradability and also improve their thermal insulation properties. Two different sets of "sandwich-type" nonwoven materials were manufactured by layering cellulosic webs and readily biodegradable binders, such as polyvinyl alcohol and Eastar Biocopolymer. A "Steady State" heat flow meter was used for evaluation of the thermal insulation properties of these biodegradable, low cost nonwoven composites. The data demonstrates that the thermal insulation properties of cellulosic-based nonwoven composite materials vary significantly, depending on the type of the vegetable fibers, nature and quantity of the binder, design, and the resulting bulk density of composites.