REINFORCEMENTS | NATURAL FIBRES AND FILLERS
Right: Samples cut from rotomouldings showing the unusual finish of Beologic compounds containing denim fibres (left) and cork
PHOTO: PETER MAPLESTON
Europe last year. “There are many reasons to fill or reinforce plastics with wood or natural fibres of all kinds,” says Michael Carus, Nova-Institute Managing. “Especially in household goods, consumer goods and toys, attributes like optics, haptics and a green image are important considerations. Weight savings, shorter cycle times, scratch resistance and a lower CO2
footprint play a crucial role in technical applica- tions and in the automotive industry. And in combi- nation with biodegradable plastics, products are also manufactured for agriculture and horticulture as well as for special applications such as filter balls and coffee capsules.” Nova-Institute puts Portuguese company
Amorim top of the list of producers with its cork granulates, which are used in applications as diverse as shoe soles and aerospace structures (these products are close to 100% cork, however, with plastics being used as binders). Many produc- ers currently have production levels measured in a few hundred tonnes/yr, although Carus says some thm have substantial growth plans. On the other hand, some players have withdrawn from the market, while others have cut back on previously announced plans for future investment.
…Compound diversity
Right: LG’s SJ9 Soundbar incorporates a paper-pulp based acoustic biocomposite from Aqvacomp
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Second on the Nova-Institute list is Belgian company Beologic. Its Project & Sales Manager Alex Beyls speaks about a new type of compound containing natural fibres, for which he has coined the term “Emotional Fibre Composites.” Currently processable by rotomoulding or injection mould- ing, these composites use natural fibres from waste streams involving products such as denim, leather goods and cork. First shown at the Fakuma fair at Friedrichshafen, Germany, last year, the compounds create unexpected sensations in those who handle the finished prod- ucts, according to Beyls. “We are moving away here from the use of fibres to modify mechanical
COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2018
Touch and feel The touch and feel effect is not achieved direct from the mould – the moulded parts have to be abraded slightly to expose the fibres behind the resin-rich surface. This adds to the total production cost, but Beyls believes users in its intended markets will be willing to pay more for what he recognises will be premium niche products. “These will not be commodities,” he says, adding that the first commercial products could be up-market rotomoulded flower pots with a denim-like surface. Beyls says Beologic is only at the beginning of the development of the new compounds, and he expects other types of fibre to be used in future in addition to those already being trialled. He says flax may also be used, since the fibres not only provide interesting surface qualities but also have a particu- larly pleasing scent that adds to the experience. Production of the compounds is not easy, however, with fibres from different sources – even the same type of fibre – often behaving in different ways. “Fibre purity is critical, and control of the fibre milling process is very important,” he says. Beologic intends to offer the new compounds based on various types of thermoplastic. The fibres are thermally sensitive, though, so suitable matrix candidates must have processing temperatures below 210°C. Aqvacomp, which produces cellulose fibre
reinforced thermoplastic composites, sits a little further down the Nova-Institute list. It could be moving up soon, though, as it has opened what it says is the world’s first integrated biocomposite plant at Rauma, in Finland. Aqvacomp has licensed a patented wet web technology from Elastopoli that enables the use of wet pulp as a raw material directly from a pulp plant operated by Metsä Fibre,
properties and exploiting their aesthetic proper- ties,” he says. The compounds contain relatively small amounts of fibre (10-15%), so any alteration in mechanical properties is marginal. Part shrinkage is also largely unaffected, so it should be possible to work with existing injection moulding tooling originally designed for use with unfilled material. Beologic is also considering production of more heavily loaded masterbatches.
www.compoundingworld.com
PHOTO: LG
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