Development and Characterization of Polylactique Acid-Based Bio-Composites Reinforced with Posidonia Oceanica Fibers

This study involves the characterization of a novel thermoplastic material, a biocomposite derived from Posidonia Oceanica (PO) fibers, which is inherently natural and does not undergo any physical or chemical treatment. The new material is formulated from commercial-grade poly-lactic acid (PLA), intended for 3D printing spools in additive manufacturing, and is fortified with Posidonia Oceanica fibers. These fibers, collected from the southern Mediterranean Sea beaches, are in the form of balls of varying volumes. The utilization of Posidonia Oceanica, or sea balls, is due to the fact that this bio-natural material is not suitable for industrial production and the exploitation of marine residues. The biocomposite underwent hot compression tests in a sandwich form under specific conditions. A sequence of uni-axial tensile tests was conducted at ambient temperature to establish the mechanical characteristics of the novel material. Identification tests revealed an enhancement in the mechanical characteristics of the new material with a low percentage of Posidonia Oceanica.