TOTALLY RENEWABLE, ENVIRONMENTALLY ENHANCED PRODUCTS, LIFECYCLEWIDE ADAPTED TO SUSTAINABLE TARGETS

Objective

The share plastic products hold within consumer goods is continuously rising. FASAL is a new material, totally based on renewable raw materials, especially wood, corn-flour and natural resin that proved suitable for being manufactured with conventional injection moulding machines. Injection moulding technique allows to produce parts with complicated geometric shapes. It is therefore possible to use the economic advantages of plastic manufacturing Furthermore it is possible for plastic manufacturing companies to shift to renewable resources with. The material properties of the new biopolymer differ from conventional plastics in some aspects especially biodegradability, appearance and to some extent water sensitivity. Research is necessary in optimisation of material properties and in injection moulding with biodegradable and renewable raw materials. Furthermore in order to fully utilise the advantageous properties of the material new design methodologies have to be found to ensure improvements in functionality and environmental performance of the products. Not only the replacement of plastic products but also the use of the new material for appropriate purposes is an important goal of the research. The final products have to find their own way through better design and engineering and better material applications.

Programme(s)

• FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 0102 - Development of clean production technologies

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (1)