Award And the winner is
Award And the winner is ... The 14 th Global Bioplastics Award 2019 was given to Bio4Self for their selfreinforced composites based on PLA fibres Biobased and easy-to-recycle self-reinforced composites based on PLA fibres with an inherent high stiffness, which are being developed within the framework of the Bio4self project funded by the European Research Fund H2020, open up completely new fields of application for PLA. An international consortium with the participation of Centexbel (Zwijnaarde, Belgium), Fraunhofer ICT (Pfinztal, Germany), the Institute of Textile Technology of the RWTH Aachen and 13 other partners, has developed a selfreinforced composite of polyactide (PLA). In the Bio4Self project, two different PLA grades are required to produce self-reinforced polymer composites or SRPCs: a low melting temperature PLA grade to form the matrix and an ultra-high stiffness and high melting temperature PLA grade to form the reinforcing fibres. Bio4self innovations overcome several challenges related to the production of PLA SRPC: formulation of a moisture/humidity-resistant PLA grade; melt extrusion of ultra-high stiffness PLA reinforcement fibres; development of (consolidation and thermoforming) manufacturing procedures to produce the highest performance SRPC material; and industrial scaleup of production. Self-reinforced PLA composites made of 0/90 fabric have a stiffness of 4 GPa, which is comparable to the stiffness achieved by self-reinforced PP, but the PLA SRPC has the advantage of using renewable materials with a better endof-life perspective. The composites are designed for high mechanical strength and rigidity as well as high temperature and hydrolytic stability. In addition, it is fully biobased, easily recyclable, formable and industrially biodegradable. As a result, PLA is being upgraded to a material suited for more technical and demanding final applications including automotive and household electronics, and offers possibilities for lots of other applications (sports, transportation, and medical appliances). As the first prototypical applications of the material, the partners presented a hybrid seating structure. PLA materials are based on renewable resources, socalled lactic acids, which can be obtained from agricultural waste or specially cultivated raw materials such as sugar cane. Although the composite materials developed have been functionalised for high mechanical strength and stiffness as well as for high temperature and hydrolysis stability, like pure PLA they are completely biobased, 8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/19] Vol. 14
1,1 mm PLA reinforcement yarn (90°) Fachmesse und Symposium Inspiration, Weiterbildung und Netzwerk PLA Matrix PLA reinforcement yarn (0°) easily recyclable, formable and even industrially biodegradable. These industrial-scale composites represent a milestone in the development of functionalized, mechanically high-strength, biobased material systems. Furthermore, the development makes a significant contribution to the recycling economy. As an example, the application in a car seat structure was demonstrated at the JEC Composite trade show in March 2019. During the show, this project was awarded a JEC Innovation Award for sustainability, announced at the JEC Innovation Award ceremony on March. The judges of the Global Bioplastics Award were equally impressed of the concept. It shows, that the intelligent combination of different forms of the same versatile bioplastic material PLA can lead to sophisticated solutions that enable the use for much more than just packaging applications. Even if the benefit of being biodegradable does not reveal itself at first glance, the whole concept can serve as a good example what can be made possible with bioplastics. The prize was awarded to the winning consortium, represented by Centexbel, on December 3 rd , 2019 during the 14 th European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin, Germany. MT www.bio4self.eu MESSETHEMA NACH- HALTIG- KEIT Aussteller präsentieren, welche nachhaltigen Lösungen sie umgesetzt haben und Referenten thematisieren die Nachhaltigkeit aus verschiedenen Perspektiven. 21. bis 23. Januar 2020 Messe Luzern Jetzt Gratis- Ticket lösen! Gutschein-Nummer 0103 5864 1262 4857 unter swissplastics-expo.ch eingeben und Ticket ausdrucken. Veranstalterin bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/19] Vol. 14 9
