Development of an effective non-woven fibre mat via wet-laid process for structural composite reinforcement applications

The use of structural composite materials demands high homogeneity to ensure efficient load transfer. A wet-laid web process, incorporating 2% by weight of hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) as a bonding agent, was employed to fabricate non-woven mats, using randomly distributed fibres of a native Mauritius Screwpine (Pandanus utilis). Morphological analysis revealed that the resulting mats exhibited superior homogeneity compared to commercial E-glass mats. Three polyester composites were fabricated with fibre mat contents of 10.7%, 21.4%, and 32.1% (corresponding to one, two, and three layers, respectively). The composite with the highest tensile and flexural strengths was selected for manufacturing a 550 mm wind turbine blade (WTB). A flap-wise static test, conducted in accordance with BS EN 61400-2, confirmed that the blade could withstand worst-case loading with a 39% safety margin before failure. The results demonstrate the composite’s suitability for structural applications, with the non-woven mat’s flexibility enabling easy adaptation to complex mould geometries.