Mechanical Properties of Recycled PA12/Hemp Fiber Composite

This study investigates the mechanical and low-velocity impact properties of 3D-printed Polyamide 12 (PA12) composites reinforced with randomly oriented hemp fibers. Hemp fiber was incorporated at varying weight percentages (4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, and 12%) within the PA12 matrix. Compression molding at 185°C and 4000 psi was used to fabricate composite samples. Tensile testing, drop weight impact analysis, hardness measurement, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to characterize the mechanical behavior of the composites. Results demonstrate that the incorporation of hemp fibers significantly enhances the tensile properties of the PA12 matrix. Composites containing 6% hemp exhibited the highest tensile strength compared to neat PA12. Further increasing the hemp fiber content up to 10% maintained comparable tensile properties to the 6% composite.