Effect of Commingled Yarn Type on the Manufacturing of Glass Fiber/Polypropylene Composite Prepreg

Glass fiber/polypropylene (GF/PP) composite prepregs were produced using different types of commingled yarns with different weave patterns. The commingled yarn used in this study was prepared using covering and air textured methods and the prepared commingled yarns were woven into two different weave patterns, plain and twill. The results show the effect of the commingling method and weave pattern on impregnation and alignment of GF in the composite prepregs due to the flow of the highly viscous molten PP resins. The mechanical properties (tensile strength, puncture impact properties, and Izod pendulum impact resistance) of the prepared composite prepregs were also evaluated. The results of this study show that the best tensile and impact resistance properties of composite prepreg is achieved using fabrics with a twill weave pattern made from air textured yarn (ATY) commingled yarns, which ensures the uniformity and alignments of the GF yarns in the composite.