An Experimental Conversion of Wasted Facemasks to Eco-Composites

The severe increase in the pollution caused by the discarded face masks during COVID-19 cannot be overstated. This research provides an innovative engineering solution to this issue by recycling polypropylene, the primary plastic found in the facemasks to manufacture ecocomposite by reinforcing it with natural flax fibres. This research highlights the environmental pillar of sustainability from an engineering perspective. Flax fibres were chosen as the most suitable natural fibre for polypropylene reinforcement due to their favourable mechanical properties, and their abundance as a plant in Northern Europe also reducing the carbon footprint of the product. The mechanical properties of the ‘Flax fibre reinforced polypropylene composite material’, named FlaxPP, were analysed using software simulations and mathematical calculations. FlaxPP composite materials were found to have more favourable vibrational damping properties than GlassPP composites, while GlassPP showed significantly superior strength and stiffness properties during tensile testing. FlaxPP manufactured using face masks had lower mechanical properties than Flax/vPP, highlighting the influence of additives, chemicals, and coloured dye on the mechanical properties of the face masks.