NATURAL FIBRES AND FILLERS | REINFORCEMENTS
superior to that of typical talc-filled plastics, Hartstra claims, while adding that Sappi Symbio does not suffer from the typical natural fibre composites smell. “And the fibres are very well dispersed and not visible, giving a lot of design freedom when colouring an applica- tion,” he says. The company now has a portfolio of products
with reinforcement levels ranging from 20% to 40%. “There are grades that focus on maximum stiffness and there are grades that have a good stiffness and impact balance,” Hartstra says. “As we are produc- ing the cellulose fibres ourselves and as we developed a technology that results in the perfect distribution of cellulose fibres in a plastic matrix, we recently also started to supply a concentrate with 50% of cellulose fibres in polypropylene. Commer- cial trials are running where compounders for example dilute our concentrate material and mix it with glass fibre, additives and their polypropylene of choice.” Last year, the company established its first
production capacity via an external partner. It claims to now have an annual capacity of “several
thousand tonnes.” One of its most recent develop- ments is Sappi Symbio Vivid. This has the same mechanical properties as the original, but adds a novel and customisable appearance to the formulation. “It gives brand owners the opportunity to design attractive and unique looking applica- tions with a colourful yet natural look. Although still in development the material is received very well by the market,” Hartstra says. According to German bio-based technology
research outfit Nova-Institute, more than 30 companies produced over 80,000 tonnes of plastics filled or reinforced with wood and natural fibres in
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www.compoundingworld.com March 2018 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 49
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Above: Sappi’s Symbio Vivid cellulose reinforcement combines good mechanical properties with a novel and customisable appearance
PHOTO: SAPPI
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