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Non-Traditional Lightweight Polypropylene Composites Reinforced With Milkweed Floss, Narendra Reddy, Yiqi Yang

Department of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design: Faculty Publications

Lightweight composites are preferred for automotive applications due to the weight restrictions and also due to the presence of inherent voids that can enhance the sound absorption of these composites. The density of the reinforcing materials plays a crucial role in such lightweight composites. Milkweed is a unique natural cellulose fiber that has a completely hollow center and low density (0.9 g cm−3) unlike any other natural cellulose fiber. The low density of milkweed fibers will allow the incorporation of higher amounts of fiber per unit weight of a composite, which is expected to lead to lightweight composites with better …