Periodic Reporting for period 2 - R-LIGHTBIOCOM (New bio-based and sustainable raw materials enabling circular value chains of high performance lightweight biocomposites)
Reporting period: 2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30
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] Complementary resin development approaches within WP1. Investigated resin blends, hardener variations, and catalyst systems to tailor the reactivity of the resins to their intended manufacturing routes such as prepregging, RTM, and compression moulding.
[O2] Development and upscaling processes for modification and nanotransformation of lignocellulosic biomass through grafting with low molecular weight compounds. Development of epoxy resin formulations incorporating functionalized lignin nanoparticles, with a strong focus on maximizing both sustainability and mechanical performance.
[O3] Research on recycled and sustainable fibres, as well as textile technologies for obtaining various intermediates, has enabled all Use Cases (UCs), except for the aeronautical one (due to mechanical strength limitations), to be entirely composed of sustainable and recycled fibres.
[O4] Development of new fast curing technologies, taking into account the partner’s material and the validation. An RTM mould was designed and manufactured for performing the frontal induced photopolymerization of resins systems.
[O5] Selected high-performance composite materials have been further developed, to be eventually integrated into the use case applications, and considering the requirements detailed in the D7.1
[O6] The development of conventional and r-LightBioCom recycling LCA models has been completed to quantify the carbon footprint of the recycling method. This model provides valuable information about the carbon emissions generated per kilo of fibre recovered.
[O7] The economic module is implemented to estimate the cost of manufacturing per unit for the use cases. Five different common manufacturing methods are considered to analyse the suitability of various manufacturing strategies at early design stages.
[O1] Complementary resin development approaches within WP1. Investigated resin blends, hardener variations, and catalyst systems to tailor the reactivity of the resins to their intended manufacturing routes such as prepregging, RTM, and compression moulding.
[O2] Development and upscaling processes for modification and nanotransformation of lignocellulosic biomass through grafting with low molecular weight compounds. Development of epoxy resin formulations incorporating functionalized lignin nanoparticles, with a strong focus on maximizing both sustainability and mechanical performance.
[O3] Research on recycled and sustainable fibres, as well as textile technologies for obtaining various intermediates, has enabled all Use Cases (UCs), except for the aeronautical one (due to mechanical strength limitations), to be entirely composed of sustainable and recycled fibres.
[O4] Development of new fast curing technologies, taking into account the partner’s material and the validation. An RTM mould was designed and manufactured for performing the frontal induced photopolymerization of resins systems.
[O5] Selected high-performance composite materials have been further developed, to be eventually integrated into the use case applications, and considering the requirements detailed in the D7.1
[O6] The development of conventional and r-LightBioCom recycling LCA models has been completed to quantify the carbon footprint of the recycling method. This model provides valuable information about the carbon emissions generated per kilo of fibre recovered.
[O7] The economic module is implemented to estimate the cost of manufacturing per unit for the use cases. Five different common manufacturing methods are considered to analyse the suitability of various manufacturing strategies at early design stages.
At RP2, main results achieved are:
•Biobased resins: Tailored resin/vitrimer systems supplied in larger batches for demonstrators; performance comparable with reference systems while increasing bio-based content.
•Nanofillers upscaled: Lignin-based nano-additives (phenolated, aminated, hydrophobised, epoxidised) synthesised/upscaled, showing enhanced activity, dispersibility, multifunctionality; potential epoxy co-agents.
•Formulations: >7 use-case-specific resin systems (low-viscosity, long pot-life, NP-modified prepregs) under thermomechanical testing.
•Textile intermediates: Rovings, nonwovens and fabrics from sustainable/recycled fibres delivered and integrated into demonstrators.
•Honeycombs: Fibre combinations optimised; >70% bio/recycled content achieved with required mechanical performance; bonding/assembly processes refined.
•Pultrusion & demonstrators: Profiles using basalt/recycled aramid planned; prepregs and recyclates applied in spoiler and trunk-floor demonstrators.
•Fast curing: UV frontal photopolymerisation and microwave-assisted infusion advanced; tooling and formulations developed for rapid trials.
•Recycling: Supercritical CO2 and solvolysis scaled; helmet aramid recycling reached yarn production; CF recovery (~250 g) from CF/PU upscaled, recyclates tested positively in composites.
•(CEO): Alpha tool released; Beta refinement underway through use-case applications.
•LCA: Novel/conventional materials and recycling routes assessed; results (D6.1/D6.2) support 20% CO2 reduction target and provide CEO input.
•Models&validation: Crushable foam, honeycomb, low-density foam implemented in LS-DYNA/VPS; automated calibration chains integrated; validation ongoing.
•Guidelines/standardisation analysis progressing (T8.3); business model development advanced via Innovation/Business Model Canvas for KEY.
•Biobased resins: Tailored resin/vitrimer systems supplied in larger batches for demonstrators; performance comparable with reference systems while increasing bio-based content.
•Nanofillers upscaled: Lignin-based nano-additives (phenolated, aminated, hydrophobised, epoxidised) synthesised/upscaled, showing enhanced activity, dispersibility, multifunctionality; potential epoxy co-agents.
•Formulations: >7 use-case-specific resin systems (low-viscosity, long pot-life, NP-modified prepregs) under thermomechanical testing.
•Textile intermediates: Rovings, nonwovens and fabrics from sustainable/recycled fibres delivered and integrated into demonstrators.
•Honeycombs: Fibre combinations optimised; >70% bio/recycled content achieved with required mechanical performance; bonding/assembly processes refined.
•Pultrusion & demonstrators: Profiles using basalt/recycled aramid planned; prepregs and recyclates applied in spoiler and trunk-floor demonstrators.
•Fast curing: UV frontal photopolymerisation and microwave-assisted infusion advanced; tooling and formulations developed for rapid trials.
•Recycling: Supercritical CO2 and solvolysis scaled; helmet aramid recycling reached yarn production; CF recovery (~250 g) from CF/PU upscaled, recyclates tested positively in composites.
•(CEO): Alpha tool released; Beta refinement underway through use-case applications.
•LCA: Novel/conventional materials and recycling routes assessed; results (D6.1/D6.2) support 20% CO2 reduction target and provide CEO input.
•Models&validation: Crushable foam, honeycomb, low-density foam implemented in LS-DYNA/VPS; automated calibration chains integrated; validation ongoing.
•Guidelines/standardisation analysis progressing (T8.3); business model development advanced via Innovation/Business Model Canvas for KEY.