Building & Construction
Building & Construction Fig. 8: Moss facade made from bio-plastic materials Exhibited at Hannover Expo 2012 (Photo: M.R. Hammer/ ITKE) It can be said that the composite of polylactide and an ecologically harmless phospate-based flame-retardant results in a material that seems suitable for exterior application in buildings. The percentage of renewable resources is about 89%. Further long-term testing has yet to be conducted. Testing with other flame retardants, such as red phosphor or aromatic sulfonate salts did not lead to convincing results in regard to fire behavior and its the resulting surface and colour, or in regard to the percentage of renewable resources contained in the compound. The rods turn a slightly lighter color after artificial weathering of polylactide and modified polylactide (Nr. 2 and 5, see table for explanation). The test specimen after natural weathering (Nr. 4) remains optically unchanged compared to PLA (Nr. 1) and modified PLA (Nr. 3) before natural weathering. Bioplastic panels for exterior applications, that are produced from mostly biobased resources and can be shaped freely, are currently being developed in a research project. This development is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE Umwelttechnik) until the end of October of this year. There are no comparable products available on the market so far. This novel development aims to offer a product that addresses two trends: (1) the increasing demand for resource-friendly and sustainable building materials, and (2) the continuing development of buildings with double curved geometries and plane facade elements with 3D effects (reliefs). The modified bio-plastics granules, which are being developed by the partner firm in the project, TECNARO GmbH (Ilsfeld-Auenstein, Germany), can be extruded into plates which can be further treated as needed. They can be drilled, printed, laser cut, shaped, CNC-milled or thermoformed to achieve different surface qualities and structures. The vacuum thermoforming process makes the cladding of freeform surfaces possible. Since the product has to undergo the CNC milling process to be finished, a variety of forms and geometries can be created. The same moulded parts can be cropped differently using different milling paths. Project partner Bauer Thermoforming (Talheim, Germany) is an expert at thermoforming thick-wall bioplastic panels. This innovative production engineering method allows for high profitability for both minor and major series. The partner company Tecnaro is developing a material that is maximally sustainable and durable, keeping petroleumbased components and additives to a minimum. Project partners at ISWA (University of Stuttgart, Germany) are carrying out the life cycle assessment review. Moreover, they will determine the resistance to microbial degradation and show waste management concepts for the end of the material’s useful life. The tasks that fall to ITKE’s within this project include its general administration, the testing of the materials, and application development. Project partner spek DESIGN (Stuttgart, Germany) is in charge of marketing and interior application. Towards the end of the project, the cladding of a building with free-form surfaces will be demonstrated using a mock-up. A preform wall with moss was exhibited at the Hannover Expo 2013 as a model application of bioplastic semifinished products. The three dimensional facade element provides recesses for moss. It is created by vacuum forming of the panel. During the reshaping process, a particular surface structure can be realized at previously defined positions. This results in a primed surface to which mosses can adhere. Fine dusts, primarily ammonium salts, are absorbed by the mosses, fertilize them, and are directly converted to plant mass. Organic substances from soot and particles from automobile tyre wear feed bacteria that live on the mosses. In total, approximately 75% of the fine dust is eliminated. The moss covered wall would thus be ideal for cities with a high occurrence of smog. www.itke.uni-stuttgart.de References: [1] German standard, DIN 18516-1, June 2010: exterior wall cladding, rear-ventilated - part 1: Requirements and testing guidelines, 5.2.2. Temperature effects, swelling and shrinkage [2] www.baufachinformation.de/denkmalpflege. jsp?md=1987057100982 [3] http://www.vertiko-gmbh.de/index.php 14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/13] Vol. 8
PRESENTS 2013 THE EIGHTH ANNUAL GLOBAL AWARD FOR DEVELOPERS, MANUFACTURERS AND USERS OF BIO-BASED PLASTICS. Call for proposals Enter your own product, service or development, or nominate your favourite example from another organisation Please let us know until August 31st: 1. What the product, service or development is and does 2. Why you think this product, service or development should win an award 3. What your (or the proposed) company or organisation does Your entry should not exceed 500 words (approx 1 page) and may also be supported with photographs, samples, marketing brochures and/or technical documentation (cannot be sent back). The 5 nominees must be prepared to provide a 30 second videoclip More details and an entry form can be downloaded from www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/award The Bioplastics Award will be presented during the 8 th European Bioplastics Conference December 2013, Berlin, Germany supported by Sponsors welcome, please contact mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/13] Vol. 8 15
