Resources from sustainable land use for natural fibre composite injection moulding
Topic(s) : Material science
Co-authors :
Jonas-Rumi BAUMANN (GERMANY), Andreas HELLMANN , Colja BEYER , Jörg MÜSSIG (GERMANY)Abstract :
Natural fibre-reinforced composite materials can be an essential part of the development towards a more sustainable future (Dunne et al., 2016). Established natural fibres such as hemp, flax and cotton have already been processed with bio-based polymers like polylactide (PLA) or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in various studies to create natural fibre composite materials (e.g., Röhl et al., 2023). Injection moulding is an important process for producing components from compound materials, as large quantities can be achieved with short processing times. Although the natural fibres are considerably shortened during the compounding and injection moulding process, the mechanical properties like tensile strength and Young’s modulus can be significantly increased by using natural fibres as reinforcement in comparison to pure polymers (e.g., Müssig et al., 2020).
One potential problem in the utilisation of plant biomass for technical applications such as materials or energy production is the possible competition in land use. Organic soils are unavailable in unlimited quantities, so conflicts with other land use alternatives such as food production can arise. To avoid these conflicts, areas not available for food production, in particular, should be selected to cultivate biomass for technical applications. In this study, the biomass from lands unavailable for food production was utilised as a resource for sustainable materials.
Fibre-reinforced composites were produced by compounding the biomass with (PLA) as a bio-based matrix polymer. Biomass from stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) after different steps of decortication were used. Nettle was found to grow spontaneously on phytomanaged marginal land sites contaminated by traces of metal (Jeannin et al., 2020). Further, the biomass from different plant species from the cultivation in paludiculture was used as reinforcement material. Paludiculture describes the sustainable agricultural or forestry use of wet and rewetted peat soils under peat-conserving conditions and minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions (Wichtmann et al., 2016). Biomass from cattail (Typha angustifolia & Typha latifolia), reed (Phragmites australis), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) and sedges (Carex acutiformis) were compounded with PLA as matrix polymer.
Specimens for the mechanical characterisation of the materials were produced by injection moulding. Tensile and impact testing were performed, and the heat deflection temperature was determined. Scanning electron microscopy images of the fracture surface were done to analyse the structure-property relationship. Further, the morphology of the reinforcing material was examined using the software FibreShape.
Overall, the results presented show the potential of utilising resources from sustainable land use for use in the composites sector.
One potential problem in the utilisation of plant biomass for technical applications such as materials or energy production is the possible competition in land use. Organic soils are unavailable in unlimited quantities, so conflicts with other land use alternatives such as food production can arise. To avoid these conflicts, areas not available for food production, in particular, should be selected to cultivate biomass for technical applications. In this study, the biomass from lands unavailable for food production was utilised as a resource for sustainable materials.
Fibre-reinforced composites were produced by compounding the biomass with (PLA) as a bio-based matrix polymer. Biomass from stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) after different steps of decortication were used. Nettle was found to grow spontaneously on phytomanaged marginal land sites contaminated by traces of metal (Jeannin et al., 2020). Further, the biomass from different plant species from the cultivation in paludiculture was used as reinforcement material. Paludiculture describes the sustainable agricultural or forestry use of wet and rewetted peat soils under peat-conserving conditions and minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions (Wichtmann et al., 2016). Biomass from cattail (Typha angustifolia & Typha latifolia), reed (Phragmites australis), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) and sedges (Carex acutiformis) were compounded with PLA as matrix polymer.
Specimens for the mechanical characterisation of the materials were produced by injection moulding. Tensile and impact testing were performed, and the heat deflection temperature was determined. Scanning electron microscopy images of the fracture surface were done to analyse the structure-property relationship. Further, the morphology of the reinforcing material was examined using the software FibreShape.
Overall, the results presented show the potential of utilising resources from sustainable land use for use in the composites sector.