additives feature | Natural fi bres


Aimplas is developing PLA/natural


fi bre compos- ites with


increased HDT for the


Naturtruck project


businesses, manufactures UPM Formi cellulose-fi bre- reinforced virgin PP compounds with 20-50% fi bre. The compounds are used in a range of industrial and consumer goods applications. In many cases, UPM Formi has replaced mineral-fi lled PP and glass-fi bre- reinforced PP or ABS, says Harri Kosonen, international product manager at the company. “Cellulose fi bres have consistent quality, good


availability, and are odourless and colourless,” says Kosonen. Parts made with the compounds can be coloured in the same way as conventional compounds and can achieve a “silky smooth” surface. In 2014, UPM and Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences launched the Biofore concept car, which replaces the majority of parts traditionally made of plastics with UPM Formi and UPM Grada (thermoformable wood) biomaterials. UPM Formi was used in the front mask, side skirts, dashboard, door panels, and interior panels. The car weighs 150 kg less than an equivalent-sized car, and many of the parts are recyclable.


UPM Formi cellulose-fi bre- reinforced PP compounds can be coloured and have a smooth surface


Totally natural Researchers are also investigating how to go one step further to make completely bio-based automotive parts. In the European Naturtruck project, for example, technological centres and companies are collaborating to develop thermoplastic composites from polylactic acid (PLA) and natural fi bres as an alternative to ABS for parts for truck cabins. One of the partners is the Aimplas plastics technology centre in Spain, where researchers have been able to increase the HDT of a PLA/natural fi bre composite to 154°C. In another project, Aimplas used cellulose fi bres in PLA, which also increased the HDT to a similar level, notes Luis Roca, head of compounding at Aimplas, and Miguel Angel Valera, technical manager of the Naturtruck project. Bio-based polyamides, such as PA 11, PA 10,10, and, to a lesser extent, PA 6,10, are key resins for automotive applications because their continuous operating temperatures are comparable to the


widely used PA 6 and PA 6,6. “Biopolyamides are among the most promising families of bioplastics based on fully or partially derived renewable sources because of their lower density (compared to PLA or PHB) and higher mechanical and thermal properties and durability,” explains Ford’s Kiziltas. He recently investigated pure cellulose to reinforce


PA 10,10 and PA 6,10 and found signifi cant improve- ments in tensile and fl exural modulus of elasticity, plus tensile and fl exural strength. However, further work is needed. “Biopolyamides are now very close to meeting or exceeding performance of conventional plastics for automotive applications, especially those under the hood. The development of bio-based polyamides is just beginning and there is a vital need to investigate blends of biopolyamides and composites with cellulose fi bres for automotive applications in order to meet the grand challenges of improved sustainability and economic benefi ts,” concludes Kiziltas.


Click on the links for more information:  www.aimplas.net  www.aschulman.com  www.apm-planet.com  www.biobent.com  www.competitivegreentechnologies.com  www.faurecia.com  www.ford.com  www.inno-comp.hu  www.interval.coop  www.metropolia.fi /en  www.mitsubishichemical.com  www.naturtruck.eu  www.procotex.com  www.rhetech.com  www.steerworld.com  www.uoguelph.ca  www.upmformi.com  www.weyerhaeuser.com  www.woodforce.com


64 COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2015 www.compoundingworld.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100