Development of a low cost plastic composite (crop waste / thermoplastic matrix) to manufacture water contact applications.

Objective

There is currently crop waste (husks, stalks and leaves) from rice, sunflower, wheat, barley and other cereals, whose economic exploitation is next to nothing or nil, and its burning in croplands constitutes a significant source of environmental pollution in production areas. The Project aims to obtain a low-cost plastic composite material by taking advantage of unexploited or under exploited crop waste, applying the new material (in an initial stage) to manufacture water contact applications: aquaculture equipments rafts for mussel farming, and plastic lumbers for docks and ponds^. 2 The new composite material will be obtained by incorporating the selected crop waste (husk + short natural fibres to improve mechanical properties) into a recycled thermoplastic polymeric matrix. The use of recycled plastics as polymeric matrix shall be a priority, and percentages of polymeric matrix/crop waste, shall be defined according primarily on, among other factors, the mechanical characteristics of the final product and the existing polymer processing technologies suited for their manufacture. This composite will be 100 % recyclable. Special emphasis will be paid on the polymer matrix / crop waste compatibility in order to reach the desire mechanical properties in the final product. This aspect of the compounding process is critical, because if a good adhesion between ...

Programme(s)

• FP5-LIFE QUALITY - Specific Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Quality of life and management of living resources", 1998-2002

Topic(s)

• 1.1.1.-5. - Key action Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (1)