Building & Construction
Building & Construction New ecological elegance www.plast-composite-consult.de A while ago, Carolus Bremer, Plast & Composite Consult, Bad Teinach-Zavelstein, Germany had the idea of light and bright architectural panels created in the most elegant designs, with a high demand for ecology and sustainability. His Bioresin Panels combine this apparent contradiction with previously unknown properties. Both the transparent and the translucent outer layers are combined with a special bioplastics honeycomb core based on PLA. With these innovative panels architects, shop and trade fair constructors can enjoy the exclusive design aesthetics of glass-like panels with perfectly balanced sustainability and sound ecological credentials. However, the panels are not yet commercially available, as Carolus Bremer is still looking for partners to manufacture such elegant architectural products. In the following notes he shares with us his basic concepts and his laboratory scale experiences. Composites Composites are a sandwich structure consisting of two PLA surfaces and a PLA honeycomb core. A range of different designs can be produced by varying the geometry and colour of the core material. Choosing surfaces with different colours, translucency and surface quality opens up an even greater range of options. The composites product group is a modular system which can be relatively easily adjusted to suit varying customer requirements. The product is manufactured from extruded PLA sheets and core structures laminated together. Lamination demands considerable manufacturing and chemical process expertise, skills developed and perfected over many years by the team around Carolus Bremer. Composite panels are quintessential of plastics engineering. Combining avant-garde design options with great aesthetic appeal, they are the material of choice above all for designers and architects with a firm understanding of engineering. The product is perfect for lifestyle-based store concepts, whilst its lightweight quality also suits it for fittings in yachts, airplanes, etc. Matrix Matrix is a three-dimensional web with gaps in its surfaces allowing a unique interaction with sound, light and the surrounding environment. A newly developed process combines the loose, flexible strands of the weave to turn a highly flexible matrix into stiff, firm boards. The unique combination of lightness, bending strength, sound absorbency, translucency, inexpensive production and customized colours open up a wide range of applications for this product. Potential applications 20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/13] Vol. 8
include acoustic and luminous ceilings, partitions, door panels, innovative furniture design, etc. Matrix is moulded in a resin infusion process developed by Bremer. Matrix consists of an interwoven PLA structure, fixative resin and if necessary organic pigments. Meander Meander is a lightweight structure extruded using a special tool which simultaneously moulds the core and the surfaces. A combination of lightness, bending strength, great translucency, smooth sealed surfaces, sound and heat insulation and easy processing makes this product suitable for use in partitions, exhibition stands, interior design, ceilings and drywalls. Meander is produced using PLA and an organic finish, and if required pigment. Ecowell Ecowell is a laminated structure in which groups of three flat, level layers are laminated together with two corrugated layers to form a multilayered laminate. Structural or other similarities to corrugated cardboard products are intentional – what will be new to the customer is the experience of transparent corrugated cardboard which opens up entirely new and attractive design options. Ecowell is an ideal product for quality packaging and presentation, for example for lifestyle products such as cell phones, laptops, cosmetics and wine. Ecowell is made from fully laminated PLA film and is coloured using the finish. Stretch Stretch is a three-dimensional structure. Two-dimensional PLA film is mechanically stretched to give the product its special geometric form. A range of different forms and degrees of stretching are possible - Stretch therefore comes in a variety of thicknesses. Customized colouring is also a simple option for this product. It is possible to triple the material efficiency of the unprocessed sheets and improved bending strength, not to mention a fresh new look. The product has certain similarities to expanded metal which is a common and widely used material. Typical Stretch applications include bar and counter surfacing, door panels, baffles(floating ceiling panels) with both visual and acoustic functions, and suspended ceilings. Stretch is produced from PLA and a surface finish. A number of other product ideas are already in the pipeline and will be completed once the products above have been successfully launched. Potential partners can contact Carolus Bremer via the Plast & Composite Consult website. MT bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/13] Vol. 8 21
