Development of Nonwoven from Vegetable Fibers: Agave and Alfa

The main objective of this work was to develop wet-laid nonwoven materials from Alfa and Agave ultimate fibers and investigate their physical and mechanical properties. Different fiber combinations were prepared with or without additional pressing. The effects of fiber composition and pressing on surface weight, thickness, air permeability, tensile strength, elongation at yield, elastic modulus, and bursting resistance were evaluated. Statistical analysis was used to assess the effects of Agave content and pressing and determine the optimal conditions. Increasing Agave content improved mechanical performance, while pressing reduced thickness and air permeability and enhanced tensile properties. The 100% Agave nonwoven exhibited the highest tensile strength (28.13 MPa without pressing and 28.25 MPa with pressing) and bursting resistance (58.75 and 164.27 kPa, respectively). The optimal condition was 100% Agave with pressing, yielding a global desirability of 47.27%, a predicted tensile strength of 31.84 MPa, elastic modulus of 38.81 MPa, and bursting resistance of 132.56 kPa. These findings highlight the potential of Agave and Alfa as renewable resources for bio-based nonwoven materials.