An environmentally friendly pre-impregnated (pre-preg) material called ramie fiber reinforced (RFR) – polylactic acid (PLA) has been developed for automotive interior applications by the University of Indonesia.
The RFR-PLA pre-preg is a semi-finished composite material and consists of a natural polymer matrix (PLA) and natural reinforcing fibers from hemp trees.
Professor Tresna Priyana Soemardi, from the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Indonesia’s faculty of engineering, has researched this material as a solution for the needs of conventional pre-preg market commodities, which generally use synthetic fibers such as carbon, glass and Kevlar.
Compared to standard pre-preg which uses synthetic fiber, RFR-PLA pre-preg is more affordable and sustainable and lighter, Tresna says.
Since 2023, Tresna and doctoral program students, Ardy Lololau, Herry Purnomo and Mustasyar have collaborated with hemp cultivators in West Java under the supervision of the Textile Center. This project aims to produce hemp fiber into yarn and fabric, empower local farmers and increase the domestic content level value.
The hemp fiber was taken to France for further research at the composite laboratory at Paris Nanterre University. From November 2023 to January 2024, Tresna came to the university in the French capital to conduct research for the Séjour Scientifique de Haut Niveau (SSHN), a high-level scientific research collaboration scholarship program. Tresna says that the program underlined the need for advanced polymerization manufacturing processes.
Professor Heri Hermansyah from the University of Indonesia (UI), and dean of the faculty of engineering, said, “The collaboration between UI and Paris Nanterre University in the development of pre-preg allowed Tresna to access top of the range research facilities and collaborate with experts in the field.”
Tresna said, “We continue to conduct trials from various aspects, from composition, equipment, process and temperature to achieve the best prototype version. The pre-preg prototype being developed has now reached the Delta version ().”
According to the researchers, the prototype showed satisfactory results at the test stage with multiaxial loads, with a strength of 60-80 megapascals (MPa) at 0° and 20-40 MPa at 90°.
Currently, the RFR-PLA copyright patent is being submitted through the UI Innovation and Science Techno Park (DISTP) Directorate. After the material successfully meets test standards, it will be applied to automotive bodies and interiors. It has already been applied to structural models and aircraft bodies. It is expected that the material will mainly be used in automotive bodies and structures, as well as rotating parts.
The results of the research will be published in the paper Experimental Study on Mechanical Behavior and Damages of Ramie Fiber-Reinforced PolyLatctic-Acid Natural Prepreg Composite Under Multiaxial Loading Using Modified Arcan Fixture.”
