Recycling and Reprocessing of Flax/Acrylic Biocomposites: A Dissolution Method Using Acetone as Solvent and Water as Non-Solvent
- 1School of Engineering, Institute for Materials and Processes, The University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK
- 2Laboratory of Complex Surfaces and Interfaces, Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
Abstract
This study explores the second-generation biocomposites utilising flax fabric reinforcement with liquid thermoplastic Elium® (acrylic) resin. The surface tension and wettability of the liquid acrylic resin with flax fabric were characterised through experimental techniques. Subsequent manufacturing of second-generation flax fibre/Elium® laminates involved distinct reprocessing routes incorporating varying levels of reclaimed materials, with the natural fibre pre-form preserved and reused. A dissolution process using acetone as solvent and water as non-solvent enabled recovery of the acrylic polymer matrix. The residual polymer remaining on the flax fibres after dissolution served as a sizing agent in the second-generation laminates, resulting in improved interfacial bonding. After normalisation to a common fibre volume fraction, the second-generation infused laminate demonstrated a 6.5% increase in flexural strength, a 16% increase in flexural modulus, and an 11.4% increase in short beam strength compared to its virgin counterpart. Molecular simulations further elucidated the interactions between flax fibre, acrylic monomer, and acrylic polymer. These findings demonstrate a viable pathway for the production of circular acrylic matrix based thermoplastic biocomposites with significant industrial potential.
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BibTeX
@article{sawalha2026recycling,
title = {{Recycling and Reprocessing of Flax/Acrylic Biocomposites: A Dissolution Method Using Acetone as Solvent and Water as Non-Solvent}},
author = {Maurice Sager Sawalha and Aditya Prakash Shembekar and Arun Kumar Alapati and Aslıhan Kabaş and Ali Khodayari and David Seveno and Eleonora Ricci and Dipa Ray},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/polym18202466},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2466},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Recycling and Reprocessing of Flax/Acrylic Biocomposites: A Dissolution Method Using Acetone as Solvent and Water as Non-Solvent
AU - Maurice Sager Sawalha
AU - Aditya Prakash Shembekar
AU - Arun Kumar Alapati
AU - Aslıhan Kabaş
AU - Ali Khodayari
AU - David Seveno
AU - Eleonora Ricci
AU - Dipa Ray
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18202466
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2466
AB - This study explores the second-generation biocomposites utilising flax fabric reinforcement with liquid thermoplastic Elium® (acrylic) resin. The surface tension and wettability of the liquid acrylic resin with flax fabric were characterised through experimental techniques. Subsequent manufacturing of second-generation flax fibre/Elium® laminates involved distinct reprocessing routes incorporating varying levels of reclaimed materials, with the natural fibre pre-form preserved and reused. A dissolution process using acetone as solvent and water as non-solvent enabled recovery of the acrylic polymer matrix. The residual polymer remaining on the flax fibres after dissolution served as a sizing agent in the second-generation laminates, resulting in improved interfacial bonding. After normalisation to a common fibre volume fraction, the second-generation infused laminate demonstrated a 6.5% increase in flexural strength, a 16% increase in flexural modulus, and an 11.4% increase in short beam strength compared to its virgin counterpart. Molecular simulations further elucidated the interactions between flax fibre, acrylic monomer, and acrylic polymer. These findings demonstrate a viable pathway for the production of circular acrylic matrix based thermoplastic biocomposites with significant industrial potential.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -