Nonwoven Fabrics Made by Using Recycled Polyester Fiber to Reinforce Low-Melting-Point Polylactide: Processing Technique and Property Evaluation

Abstract

Polymeric material, which is commonly used in packaging, has been widely applied due to the fact that it is lightweight and chemical resistant. Being non-degradable, polymeric waste can thus only be eliminated by burning, and subsequently, there is a rising need for degradable polymeric material to manage this manner of disposal. This study thus uses degradable, low-melting-point polylactide (LMPLA) fibers and recycled polyester (RPET) fibers to make nonwoven fabrics for packaging. The tensile strength, tear strength, and air permeability of the nonwoven fabrics are then tested. The experiment results show that a 40% of RPET fibers can effectively promote the mechanical properties of the LMPLA nonwoven fabrics.