Projects on composites
A short overview is given on projects relating to composites. For more information on this field, please visit the site on agrofibre composites of Wageningen UR.------------------------
Agrofibre-polymer extrusion compounds
Renewable agricultural products such as plant fibre raw materials (jute, kenaf or meshta, hemp and flax) offer large opportunities to develop high quality materials that fulfil both the price/performance demands of the producer or end-user and meets the target of ecological sustainability. It has been demonstrated, in a 3 years research project funded by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC, Amsterdam) and supervised by the International Jute Organisation (IJO, Dhaka), that jute fibres can be processed into mouldable thermoplastic composite materials as reinforcing fibre, using the conventional equipment utilised in thermoplastic processing.
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Jute for eco-efficient packaging
Traditionally, jute has been widely used as packaging and wrapping material for a broad range of products. Especially a large number of agricultural products like potatoes, onions, cereals, wool, coffee and cacao used to be transported and shipped in jute bags. However the availability of cheaper, lighter and more durable polypropylene bags has caused serious problems in jute production and since the increasing amounts of products transported in bulk containers, the role of the familiar jute bag is diminishing further.
Alternatives to compensate for the declining market share of jute bags in packaging have been investigated. Promising novel applications of jute based composite materials have been demonstrated and open new markets for jute fibres, especially in moulded packaging materials. Jute fibres as reinforcement and filler of injection moulded polypropylene products have been shown to possess excellent mechanical properties, that can be moulded on existing machinery into in any shape or form such as crates and trays, pallets and boxes, but also films and straps for wrapping and taping.
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Ecobinders
Project goal of this project is the development of furan and lignin based binders as eco-friendly and sustainable solutions for durable wood, panel and board (MDF / plywood) and 3D design composites (WPC). Emphasis will be given to the development of ecobinders for the production of water-resistant and emission-free products for outdoor use. Selected processes will be scaled up in collaboration with participating industry.
The use of adhesives, coatings, and chemicals for wood and wood products is widespread in the timber industries. The commercially available wood protecting agents for outdoor use suffer from a poor ecological reputation and more sustainable alternatives are desired. Similarly, the commonly applied synthetic resins used as adhesives and in wood coatings affect the image of wood as renewable and sustainable building and construction material. It is expected that ecobinders, based on renewable furans and lignin, have the desired properties to fulfil the requirements for the selected product-market-combinations:
- Application 1: Durable wood
- Application 2: MDF and plywood panel and boards
- Application 3: 3D design composites (wood polymer composites WPC)
Main challenge is to develop a technical and economical feasible process and product for this new class of binders.
This project is financed by the European Commission (KP6). Industrial partners are TransFurans Chemicals, Belgium, Granit SA, Switzerland, Wood Polymer Technologies, Norway, Valbopan and Amorim, Portugal. Other Dutch partners are SHR, Promolding and Plexwood. ECOBINDERS consists of 24 partners.
Further reading:
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Nanofibre composites of cellulose
Fibres with a diameter in the nanometer range have been produced from cellulose raw materials. A method has been developed effectively disperse these nano fibres into (bio)polymers. The resulting composites show an extra increase in strength of a factor of 2 compared to glass fibre or conventional natural fibre composites.
The challenge is to homogeneously mix nano fibres into (bio)polymers. In order to characterise composite materials, it is required to produce such materials in sufficient quantity. Technologies were combined from different disciplines, such as (bio)polymer technology, fibre processing, microbiology and different analysis techniques, in order to produce and evaluate homogeneous nano fibre composites at ample quantities.
Further reading:
- M. van den Oever, M. Junco Madero & M. Snijder, ‘Flax Nanofibre Composites’, at ‘6th International Wood and Natural Fibre Composites Symposium’, 5th–6th April 2006, Kassel, Germany.
- J. van Soest, G. Schennink & M. van den Oever, ‘Using nanotechnology to achieve commercially competitive starch biodegradable films’, at ‘The Future of Nanomaterials’ conference, 29th-30th June 2005, Kensington, London.
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