Common reed as novel Biosource composite production
Topic(s) : Material science
Co-authors :
Paula LINDERBÄCK (FINLAND), Silas GEBREHIWOT , Jakob THEIS , Luis SUAREZ , Zaida ORTEGA (SPAIN)Abstract :
The production of plastics has grown significantly in the last decades, and the trend is expected to continue. The growth of plastics production depends on increasing demand from various industries, such as packaging, construction, and consumer goods. Even though plastics are essential for humankind, the plastics which are commonly used today are not biodegradable, resulting in significant environmental and waste management challenges. Plastic materials in a circular economy concept aim to reduce waste and conserve resources by keeping materials in use as long as possible, with a goal to close the loop on plastic use.
Today, researchers are looking for biobased sources to replace fossil fuel-based plastics. Common reed (Phragmites Australis) bed along the coast in Baltic Sea present a sustainable resource that could play a role in the future circular economy. Common reed beds have the capacity to sequester nutrients and carbon, which are the major contributors to the Baltic Sea Eutrophication and the climate crisis. A potential strategy to recycle nutrients and close the nutrient cycles in the Baltic Sea ecosystem is coastal management, aiming to remove nutrients by harvesting biomass. Significant amounts of nutrients accumulate in various parts of emergent or submergent macrophytes during the growing season, such as reeds.
Harvested biomass can be reused for nutrient recycling, thereby closing the loops by returning extracted nutrients to the ecosystem. Reed contains significant amounts of nutrients contributing to Baltic Sea eutrophication, with up to 10 kg of phosphorus and 100 kg of nitrogen per hectare. Harvesting reeds can remove nutrients from coastal ecosystems while providing a climate-friendly raw material for various purposes.
By harvesting reed beds, nutrients can be removed from ecosystems with the biomass. Despite the aggressive spread of reeds and their biological nature, there are still not enough applications for them. While some research has been done on reed value chains, there are still gaps that require further research. The potential of reeds as an unused biological material, effectively binding nutrients and carbon, has been only partially identified.
This study examines the potential of common reed as a sustainable, novel composite material. Common reeds were harvested both in summer and winter, and various blends were analyzed to determine their suitability for composite applications. These blends were processed using twin-screw extrusion and molded, with their thermal properties, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical characteristics being assessed.
Today, researchers are looking for biobased sources to replace fossil fuel-based plastics. Common reed (Phragmites Australis) bed along the coast in Baltic Sea present a sustainable resource that could play a role in the future circular economy. Common reed beds have the capacity to sequester nutrients and carbon, which are the major contributors to the Baltic Sea Eutrophication and the climate crisis. A potential strategy to recycle nutrients and close the nutrient cycles in the Baltic Sea ecosystem is coastal management, aiming to remove nutrients by harvesting biomass. Significant amounts of nutrients accumulate in various parts of emergent or submergent macrophytes during the growing season, such as reeds.
Harvested biomass can be reused for nutrient recycling, thereby closing the loops by returning extracted nutrients to the ecosystem. Reed contains significant amounts of nutrients contributing to Baltic Sea eutrophication, with up to 10 kg of phosphorus and 100 kg of nitrogen per hectare. Harvesting reeds can remove nutrients from coastal ecosystems while providing a climate-friendly raw material for various purposes.
By harvesting reed beds, nutrients can be removed from ecosystems with the biomass. Despite the aggressive spread of reeds and their biological nature, there are still not enough applications for them. While some research has been done on reed value chains, there are still gaps that require further research. The potential of reeds as an unused biological material, effectively binding nutrients and carbon, has been only partially identified.
This study examines the potential of common reed as a sustainable, novel composite material. Common reeds were harvested both in summer and winter, and various blends were analyzed to determine their suitability for composite applications. These blends were processed using twin-screw extrusion and molded, with their thermal properties, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical characteristics being assessed.