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Design of Biodegradable Menstrual Pads Using Naturally Derived Fiber Composites

CSEF · 2026 Materials Science (Junior Division)

Alexis Sheng

Overview

Commercial menstrual products contain increasing amounts of synthetics, VOCs, PFAs, and heavy metals, raising safety concerns regarding both environmental and physiological health. The goal of this project was to design and prototype a biodegradable menstrual pad that meets or exceeds the performance of synthetic alternatives in four key areas: absorbency, adhesion , safety, and breathability.. Prototypes were all tested with four factors: absorbency, adhesion, safety, and breathability through a quantitative experiment and developed an effective prototype. Results indicated that a product compromising a cotton topsheet and transfer layer, along with a sisal fiber-based absorbent core and a PLA-based tape, is the highest-performing configuration. The pad passed all success criteria, absorbing 3 mL of viscose liquid with an average of 23.16 seconds. The adhesive was also able to withstand an average of 5.02 N of force before separating from the fabric. Additionally, the pad lost 12.4 mL of liquid, and the products all maintained pH ranging from 4.8 to 5. Compared to the control variable pad, which only passed the success criteria for breathability and adhesion, the prototyped pad performs much better despite not losing as much water as the control variable. Despite the use of basic testing instrumentation, the final prototype has significantly outperformed its benchmarks. Through the analysis and evaluation of all-natural fiber composites as healthier alternatives than traditional products, this project demonstrates insights to improving menstrual product safety and developing better products in the future.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2026 Materials Science (Junior Division) · Entry J-13-06

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