Periodic Reporting for period 1 - R-LIGHTBIOCOM (New bio-based and sustainable raw materials enabling circular value chains of high performance lightweight biocomposites)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30
Context
The evolution towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly future is materials driven, as new lightweight materials and sustainable processing technologies will have an enormous environmental and performance benefit in all sectors of application. For instance, a reduction of 27.5% on average fleet weight could translate to a reduction of 40% in CO2 emissions only in the transport sector (equivalent to 27% EU GHGs).
From the different lightweighting technologies, composites provide the highest potential for reducing weight by metal replacement. The use of composites (mostly thermosets) is limited to large sectors due to their limitations in terms of long processing times, high prices and low recyclability.
Also, the EU is highly dependent on fossil raw materials for strategic value chains (as road transport and aerospace for composite materials). Recyclability and sustainability (introducing materials from biomass) are the main driving factors to reach market uptake of High-Performance Composites (HPC) in increasingly demanding applications to substitute fossil raw materials.
On the one hand, most HPC materials are still landfilled or incinerated, and downcycled to fillers. Developing lightweight HPC based on sustainable bio-based raw materials (fibres and resins) and designed to improve its recyclability would enable recovering and reuse of this material waste.
Finally, Composite manufacturing is an energy-intensive process where improved HPC production processes could lower the cost and production energy requirements, potentially opening a wide range of applications that promote clean energy and energy efficiency.
Thus, r-LightBioCom detected the opportunity to develop new advanced bio-based composite materials with inherent recyclability properties together with technologies and tools for sustainable composite design, modelling, and processing, leading to new families of bio-based, recyclable lightweight HPC at competitive cost.
Objectives
r-LightBioCom’s main objective is to reduce environmental impact of the new lightweight HPC, not only during their production but also during their operational life and after achieving their final lifetime (inherent recyclability properties), while providing improved mechanical properties, weight reduction and new functionalities.
To achieve the main objective, 7 Specific Objectives (O#) have been defined:
[O1] To develop new bio-based resins with improved recyclability and tailored to the HPC needs in terms of performance and processing technologies.
[O2] To enhance the properties of lightweight composites for applications in various sectors of different requirement demands as road transport, infrastructures, and aeronautics.
[O3] To unveil and re-design processing technologies to manufacture new lightweight HPC components and structures based on sustainable fibres and bio-resins (+50% of bio-based & sustainable material).
[O5] To validate new r-LightBioCom raw materials and processes in targeted sectors, considering industry requirements and acceptance and r-LightBioCom sustainable by-design framework.
[O6] To develop a sustainable-by-design framework with a focus on enhancing recycling and modelling to generate and enable a change of paradigm towards circular value chains.
[O7] To standardise r-LightBioCom HPC manufacturing processes to facilitate replicability, reducing time to market.
The evolution towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly future is materials driven, as new lightweight materials and sustainable processing technologies will have an enormous environmental and performance benefit in all sectors of application. For instance, a reduction of 27.5% on average fleet weight could translate to a reduction of 40% in CO2 emissions only in the transport sector (equivalent to 27% EU GHGs).
From the different lightweighting technologies, composites provide the highest potential for reducing weight by metal replacement. The use of composites (mostly thermosets) is limited to large sectors due to their limitations in terms of long processing times, high prices and low recyclability.
Also, the EU is highly dependent on fossil raw materials for strategic value chains (as road transport and aerospace for composite materials). Recyclability and sustainability (introducing materials from biomass) are the main driving factors to reach market uptake of High-Performance Composites (HPC) in increasingly demanding applications to substitute fossil raw materials.
On the one hand, most HPC materials are still landfilled or incinerated, and downcycled to fillers. Developing lightweight HPC based on sustainable bio-based raw materials (fibres and resins) and designed to improve its recyclability would enable recovering and reuse of this material waste.
Finally, Composite manufacturing is an energy-intensive process where improved HPC production processes could lower the cost and production energy requirements, potentially opening a wide range of applications that promote clean energy and energy efficiency.
Thus, r-LightBioCom detected the opportunity to develop new advanced bio-based composite materials with inherent recyclability properties together with technologies and tools for sustainable composite design, modelling, and processing, leading to new families of bio-based, recyclable lightweight HPC at competitive cost.
Objectives
r-LightBioCom’s main objective is to reduce environmental impact of the new lightweight HPC, not only during their production but also during their operational life and after achieving their final lifetime (inherent recyclability properties), while providing improved mechanical properties, weight reduction and new functionalities.
To achieve the main objective, 7 Specific Objectives (O#) have been defined:
[O1] To develop new bio-based resins with improved recyclability and tailored to the HPC needs in terms of performance and processing technologies.
[O2] To enhance the properties of lightweight composites for applications in various sectors of different requirement demands as road transport, infrastructures, and aeronautics.
[O3] To unveil and re-design processing technologies to manufacture new lightweight HPC components and structures based on sustainable fibres and bio-resins (+50% of bio-based & sustainable material).
[O5] To validate new r-LightBioCom raw materials and processes in targeted sectors, considering industry requirements and acceptance and r-LightBioCom sustainable by-design framework.
[O6] To develop a sustainable-by-design framework with a focus on enhancing recycling and modelling to generate and enable a change of paradigm towards circular value chains.
[O7] To standardise r-LightBioCom HPC manufacturing processes to facilitate replicability, reducing time to market.
r-LightBioCom has made significant progress across its objectives:
[O1] Development of a range of bio-based resins and vitrimers, evaluating and pre-selecting the most suitable candidates for demonstration parts. Ongoing optimization and the development of additional bio-based vitrimers, such as PUR and EPS, have shown potential for multiple re-processing and enhanced recyclability. The selected samples will be tested for recyclability in the next period.
[O2] Processes to modify lignocellulosic biomass has been scaled up, producing five types of bio-based nano-additives with diverse properties, including increased reactivity and UV protection. Bio-resin formulations improved incorporating these additives, showing promise for prepregs with good mechanical properties.
[O3] Development of innovative processing technologies for sustainable textile intermediates, utilizing natural and recycled fibres to meet specific mechanical requirements.
[O4] Development on fast curing technologies and designed a new RTM mould and a microwave-assisted vacuum infusion system for resin systems, studying various UV light-curing formulations.
[O5] Industry requirements from aeronautics, automotive, and construction sectors collected.
[O6] LCA models to quantify carbon emissions from recycling processes are being developed, aiming to create a database for analytical models that will support circular design optimization.
[O7] Numerical models for structural and environmental optimization have begun, focusing on efficient material combinations and optimal geometries.
[O1] Development of a range of bio-based resins and vitrimers, evaluating and pre-selecting the most suitable candidates for demonstration parts. Ongoing optimization and the development of additional bio-based vitrimers, such as PUR and EPS, have shown potential for multiple re-processing and enhanced recyclability. The selected samples will be tested for recyclability in the next period.
[O2] Processes to modify lignocellulosic biomass has been scaled up, producing five types of bio-based nano-additives with diverse properties, including increased reactivity and UV protection. Bio-resin formulations improved incorporating these additives, showing promise for prepregs with good mechanical properties.
[O3] Development of innovative processing technologies for sustainable textile intermediates, utilizing natural and recycled fibres to meet specific mechanical requirements.
[O4] Development on fast curing technologies and designed a new RTM mould and a microwave-assisted vacuum infusion system for resin systems, studying various UV light-curing formulations.
[O5] Industry requirements from aeronautics, automotive, and construction sectors collected.
[O6] LCA models to quantify carbon emissions from recycling processes are being developed, aiming to create a database for analytical models that will support circular design optimization.
[O7] Numerical models for structural and environmental optimization have begun, focusing on efficient material combinations and optimal geometries.
At RP1, main results achived are:
- More than 4 advanced bio-based resin and/or vitrimer compounds have been developed and can be used for further optimisations and fine tuning.
- Successful synthesis of 5 bio-based nanofillers for lightweight HPC with improved interfacial activity and dispersibility in HPC matrices, antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, UV-protective and hydrophobic properties.
- A bio-based EP prepreg resin formulation suitable for infrastructural use case was developed. Modification/hybridisation of the developed formulation allowed to adapt it for other use cases.
- Textile intermediates (based on sustainable fibres) like rovings (for tunnel lining UC), non-woven (for automotive UCs) and fabrics (for aeronautic UC) are in the process of development.
- Honeycombs with increased biobased/recycled content (Bio content >70%) but maintaining the desired mechanical properties (high bending resistance >1000 N/mm2).
- New fast curing technologies, frontal photopolymerization and vacuum infusion of commercial resins systems being developed. For that, the study of different formulations of UV light-curing systems are being carried out and the fabrication of a mould for the process is managed.
- Successful military helmet recycling process performed. The process was scaled up to 1.3 kg batch. It was demonstrated that recycled aramid fibres are suitable for fibre opening. The recycled fibres were defibrillated and sliver obtained. Resin removal efficiency more than 80% was achieved. Recycled aramid fibres retained 90% of original properties.
- Tools for composite material modeling and validation are in development, with process chains for new digital material models being integrated into automated calibration. New core-material descriptions, including Mat Crushable foam, Mat Honeycomb, and Mat Low-density foam, will soon be implemented in LS-DYNA and VPS for explicit simulation. The effectiveness of these models will be assessed by the next reporting period, and once validated, the new automation process will be available for industrial and academic use.
- More than 4 advanced bio-based resin and/or vitrimer compounds have been developed and can be used for further optimisations and fine tuning.
- Successful synthesis of 5 bio-based nanofillers for lightweight HPC with improved interfacial activity and dispersibility in HPC matrices, antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, UV-protective and hydrophobic properties.
- A bio-based EP prepreg resin formulation suitable for infrastructural use case was developed. Modification/hybridisation of the developed formulation allowed to adapt it for other use cases.
- Textile intermediates (based on sustainable fibres) like rovings (for tunnel lining UC), non-woven (for automotive UCs) and fabrics (for aeronautic UC) are in the process of development.
- Honeycombs with increased biobased/recycled content (Bio content >70%) but maintaining the desired mechanical properties (high bending resistance >1000 N/mm2).
- New fast curing technologies, frontal photopolymerization and vacuum infusion of commercial resins systems being developed. For that, the study of different formulations of UV light-curing systems are being carried out and the fabrication of a mould for the process is managed.
- Successful military helmet recycling process performed. The process was scaled up to 1.3 kg batch. It was demonstrated that recycled aramid fibres are suitable for fibre opening. The recycled fibres were defibrillated and sliver obtained. Resin removal efficiency more than 80% was achieved. Recycled aramid fibres retained 90% of original properties.
- Tools for composite material modeling and validation are in development, with process chains for new digital material models being integrated into automated calibration. New core-material descriptions, including Mat Crushable foam, Mat Honeycomb, and Mat Low-density foam, will soon be implemented in LS-DYNA and VPS for explicit simulation. The effectiveness of these models will be assessed by the next reporting period, and once validated, the new automation process will be available for industrial and academic use.