Development Process of the Prototype and Evaluation on the Biodegradability of Jute Fiber/PLA Fiber Composites for Automotive Headlining

Biodegradable headlinings were developed using jute fiber, PLA (polylactic acid) fiber. More specifically, the main felt which consists of jute fibers and PLA fibers was produced by carding process, and then laminating PLA Films or light PLA felts as reinforcement. After lamination, cotton nonwovens were used as skin layers. Evaluation on the biodegradation of headlinings was tested under conditions (KS M 3100-1 and ISO-14855-1) of aerobic biodegradation. The test results of biodegradable headlinings showed a reduction of weight by 48 % and a decrease of mechanical strength by 90% for the biodegradation period. This feature would be attributed to the decomposition of the bio-materials during its biodegradation.