Influence of processing techniques on the performance of outworn denim fabric-reinforced polymer composites

The increasing demand for environmentally friendly composite materials has driven the use of recycled textile fibers, such as outworn denim. However, beyond the type of fiber used, the overall performance of composites is strongly influenced by the fabrication technique, and the appropriate processing method for producing high-performance denim fiber-reinforced composites remains uncertain. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate and compare the effects of vacuum infusion and compression molding on the physical, water absorption, and mechanical characteristics of recycled denim fabricreinforced polymer composites (DFRPC). The experimental results reveal that composites manufactured using vacuum infusion exhibited higher tensile strength ( 53 MPa). In contrast, composites produced through compression molding demonstrated superior flexural strength (60.9 MPa ), a higher critical buckling load ( 0.79 kN ), and lower density and water absorption. These findings highlight that the choice of fabrication method plays a decisive role in defining the structural performance of denim fabricreinforced polymer composites.