Mechanical and aging performances of Palm/Wool and Palm/Polyester nonwovens coated by waterborne polyurethane for automotive interiors

The Washingtonia palm (Arecaceae) is a fast-growing species. Their management generates a large amount of biomass each year, which is generally disposed of in landfills or burned on-site without being valorized. In this work, the petiole part of Washingtonia palm was introduced in the automotive industry for interior applications through the production of soft feel eco-friendly bio-composite nonwovens made of Palm, Wool, and Polyester fibers through a needle-punching process. Initially, palm microfibrils were extracted in a solution containing sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at concentrations equal to 0.70 %. Subsequently, composite nonwovens were manufactured from the Palm/ Wool (P/W) and Palm/ Polyester (P/PES) blends with a weight proportion of 3/1. Afterwards, nonwovens were coated with different percentages of WPU (2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%), dried at 120 degrees C and hot calendered between two rolls at 20 K N pressure and 140 degrees C temperature. Developed nonwovens were tested for physical, morphological, mechanical, climatic, and abrasion resistance performance. The findings revealed that Washingtonia palm-based biocomposite nonwovens treated with WPU proportions equal to/or higher than 10 wt% had excellent tensile strength and abrasion resistance. The climate aging test, on the other hand, confirmed their durability. The FTIR and SEM data indicated that WPU polymer adheres well to P/W and P/PES nonwovens. Furthermore, they provide aesthetically pleasing fabrics with a golden color appearance, low raw material costs, and environmental benefits, suggesting that they could be a suitable candidate for automotive interior applications.