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<p>The development of sustainable polymer composites requires balancing mechanical performance with environmental and economic considerations. In this study, composite materials were developed using unsaturated polyester (UP) reinforced with recycled steel mesh (RSM), and carbon fibers (CFs) using a low-cost hand lay-up technique. The filler’s volumetric fraction was set at 2.5&#xa0;vol.%, aiming to achieve a fair comparison between them from a mechanical standpoint. A comprehensive assessment framework was presented that integrated mechanical performance, density-normalized properties, reinforcement efficiency, and sustainability metrics. The results showed an improvement in the elastic modulus of the reinforced samples compared to the unreinforced UP, where UP/CF and UP/RSM recorded 2.41&#xa0;GPa and 1.61&#xa0;GPa, respectively. UP/RSM exhibited enhanced tensile strength (≈ 46.29&#xa0;MPa) and significantly higher tensile reinforcement efficiency. In contrast, the flexural strength decreased for both reinforced materials compared to the unreinforced UP, which reached 48.88 MPa. The properties of impact strength (3.21–3.70 kJ/m<sup>2</sup>) and hardness (264–372 HL) were also improved. Moreover, density-normalized evolution demonstrates that the RSM relatively balances specific properties despite its high density; the UP/RSM demonstrates the highest specific tensile strength of 33.77 (MPa cm<sup>3</sup>/g). Sustainability assessment indicated that UP/RSM composites achieved substantial reductions in embodied energy (≈ 21%), carbon emissions (≈ 24%), cost (≈ 25%), and a significant increase (75%) in cost-to-performance efficiency compared to UP/CF composites, while maintaining competitive mechanical performance. Microstructural observations supported these findings, revealing better structural continuity in RSM systems and interfacial weaknesses in CF composites. Overall, this work demonstrates that recycled metallic reinforcements can serve as viable, low-carbon alternatives to conventional high-performance fibers, and introduces a transferable multi-criteria framework for informed composite material selection for high-volume, load-bearing civil infrastructure (e.g., industrial cladding panels, modular structural floor solutions, and sacrificial protective blast barriers).</p>

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Structure–Property–Sustainability Performance in Polyester Composites Reinforced with Recycled Steel Mesh and Carbon Fibers

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Rihab Jabbar,
  • Mohammed Hayder Ismail Alluaibi,
  • Sara H. Shahatha

摘要

The development of sustainable polymer composites requires balancing mechanical performance with environmental and economic considerations. In this study, composite materials were developed using unsaturated polyester (UP) reinforced with recycled steel mesh (RSM), and carbon fibers (CFs) using a low-cost hand lay-up technique. The filler’s volumetric fraction was set at 2.5 vol.%, aiming to achieve a fair comparison between them from a mechanical standpoint. A comprehensive assessment framework was presented that integrated mechanical performance, density-normalized properties, reinforcement efficiency, and sustainability metrics. The results showed an improvement in the elastic modulus of the reinforced samples compared to the unreinforced UP, where UP/CF and UP/RSM recorded 2.41 GPa and 1.61 GPa, respectively. UP/RSM exhibited enhanced tensile strength (≈ 46.29 MPa) and significantly higher tensile reinforcement efficiency. In contrast, the flexural strength decreased for both reinforced materials compared to the unreinforced UP, which reached 48.88 MPa. The properties of impact strength (3.21–3.70 kJ/m2) and hardness (264–372 HL) were also improved. Moreover, density-normalized evolution demonstrates that the RSM relatively balances specific properties despite its high density; the UP/RSM demonstrates the highest specific tensile strength of 33.77 (MPa cm3/g). Sustainability assessment indicated that UP/RSM composites achieved substantial reductions in embodied energy (≈ 21%), carbon emissions (≈ 24%), cost (≈ 25%), and a significant increase (75%) in cost-to-performance efficiency compared to UP/CF composites, while maintaining competitive mechanical performance. Microstructural observations supported these findings, revealing better structural continuity in RSM systems and interfacial weaknesses in CF composites. Overall, this work demonstrates that recycled metallic reinforcements can serve as viable, low-carbon alternatives to conventional high-performance fibers, and introduces a transferable multi-criteria framework for informed composite material selection for high-volume, load-bearing civil infrastructure (e.g., industrial cladding panels, modular structural floor solutions, and sacrificial protective blast barriers).