Study of the Tensile Performance of Composite Materials Based on Waste Tire and Natural Fibers

Nowadays, the stock of used tyres continues to grow, due to the continuous production of tyres. Thus, the huge amount of waste today poses a serious problem especially under the pressure of environmental regulations. In order to preserve the environment and reduce storage costs, the recovery of this waste has become essential. Several methods of upgrading used tyres are currently available. Among them, the recycling of materials is one of the main axes of sustainable development in the tyre industry. Currently, the use of pneumatic residues in composite materials represents a very promising path. These materials often rely on a polymer matrix and fibrous reinforcement. Therefore, the development of bio-composites reinforced by natural fibers is a real alternative thanks to their specific properties, which can even replace some synthetic fibers. This article is therefore part of a sustainable development approach. The goal is to use recycled tires as a recovery method to reduce the amount of this waste but also to produce composites with essential characteristics. Two different sizes of rubber particles were used as a matrix. Waste flax, wool, and cotton fibers were used as reinforcements. The structure of the matrix, the type of fibers and their volume fractions influence the mechanical behavior of composites. Tensile test results show more interesting values for composites based on fine rubber particles with a low reinforcement rate.