REINFORCEMENT | NATURAL FIBRES AND FILLERS
Right: A natural fibre reinforced 3D print filament produced at Norwegian research organisation RISE PFI
Norske Skog Saugbrugs (a biocomposite pro- ducer) and Plasto (an injection moulder). The project started in 2021 and the partners says they have made significant progress. Norske Skog Saugbrugs has finished building the new biocomposite demonstration plant, which has an output of 120 kg/h at maximum speed (around one tonne on a normal working day), says Dag Molteberg, Senior Development Manager at Norske Skog Saugbrugs. The company has a large thermo mechanical pulp (TMP) facility for produc- tion of paper and will supply the biocomposite plant with TMP fibres from spruce wood. One part of the demonstration plant is used for
continues to make advances in development of biocomposites produced using biobased polymers with, for example, biobased fibres, nanocellulose or lignin. These are being developed and evalu- ated for a range of applications including infra- structure, automotive, food and beverage packag- ing, healthcare, and additive manufacturing (3D printing), says Gary Chinga Carrasco, Lead Scientist in the Biopolymers and Biocomposite area at the association. It has a fully equipped lab for 3D printing to support increasing demand from industrial partners looking for biobased and sustainable material solutions for 3D printing as well as injection moulding. “3D printing provides a nice possibility to manufacture complex structures that are not easy to produce with conventional processes. 3D printing is not only used for prototyping but also for fabricating fully functional devices for very specific applications. In addition, material con- sumption is reduced, which is a major advantage from an economical and environmental point of view,” says Chinga Carrasco. “Biocomposites are biobased, renewable and if necessary can be biodegradable; this is beneficial compared to other types of filled fossil-based polymers,” he adds. “This is a growing area of development of sustainable materials which is also in line with the current bio and circular economy.”
Moulding gains Beyond 3D printing, RISE PFI’s BioComp project is developing novel and sustainable biocomposite materials to replace fossil-based plastics in the injection moulding sector. This project, which is partly funded by the Research Council of Norway, is a collaboration between RISE PFI and Norwegian companies Alloc (a building products company),
20 COMPOUNDING WORLD | May 2022
drying, preparation and pelletising of wood fibres; the second part houses the compounding system where the fibre pellets are combined with plastics and additives to produce biocomposite pellets (brand-named Cebico). The compounding system includes degassing zones for moisture removal and features fine-tuned temperature control. The line is capable of both air-dried pelletising and underwater pelletising; typical compound pellets are 3-5mm in diameter and 4-7mm in length, says Molteberg. Saugbrugs has produced several tonnes of
material since test production started in December last year. “The material tests show well-dispersed fibres in the matrix, giving good tensile strength and high flexural stiffness,” Molteberg says. “Thermal dimension stability is better than unfilled PP and PE and the results also show quite low moisture uptake, even in boiling water. Melt flow parameters are also acceptable for injection moulding.” Molteberg says the amount of fibre in the composites can vary between 20-60% by weight but is most typically in the region of 30-40%. The thermoplastic component includes both virgin and recycled PE or PP and the project will also investi- gate the use of biobased and biodegradable thermoplastic matrix materials. Injection moulder Plasto processes the biocom- posite pellets using high-speed automated injection moulding equipment. “The production line is configured for 24/7 unmanned production and will ensure a high and stable output of the produced biocomposite components,” says Runar Stenerud, Project Manager at Plasto. “Collaboration with RISE PFI in the BioComp
project gave us valuable insight of the materials’ mechanical characteristics and process-related properties and how to design for optimal handling at end-of-life,” Stenerud says. “Being involved in early-stage development of new materials also gives us the opportunity to influence the material
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IMAGE: RISE PFI
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