Abstract

This proposal is prepared with the help of an Exploratory Award which included a Research Feasibility Study.

The project is aimed at the utilisation of a new material that allows the manufacture of products without shape restriction out of a renewable and biodegradable raw material. These are processed fully automatically with conventional injection moulding machines. The material used, Fasal, a biodegradable composite which consists of 60% wood chips, 30% ground corn, 10 % natural resin and other additives has the potential to :

• break the market for biodegradable products with added value
• be a serious alternative for some wooden products in respect to production (energy and waste) and use of free forms
• convert the production waste of wooden products (from toys to timber) into a valuable raw material

Although non complicated sample products have been successfully produced as shown in the research feasibility study, more research is needed to:

• adapt product and mould design to the known properties of Fasal
• adapt Fasal to better mechanical properties (e.g. flexibility)
• adapt Fasal products with means to improve the water resistance

The major risk lies in the uncertainty of the material behaviour of the final products under user conditions. This can be related to an appropriate choice of application fields that utilise the new biodegradable thermoplastic material:

• taking advantage of its basic characteristics
• taking advantage of the positive properties and
• considering the limitations of the material.

These aspects will be presented in a Design Handbook.

The starting point for the project is the existing material prototypes for Fasal (F 134, F197) combined with knowledge about variability of properties, processing and experience in mould adaptation and sample production. Proceeding on the promising results of the feasibility study further material developments will be made to meet the requirements of the products envisaged in the application lines durable products with and without coating and perishable products.

The benefits of the research are:

• Possibility of using renewables for products usually made of plastics using biomass that is available in high amounts transferring agricultural wastes into valuable raw materials
• Reduction of waste and save of non renewable resources
• Reduction in price for biodegradable injection moulded parts
• Increasing the market for Fasal, to the "critical mass" that allows granule production at an economical scale
• Increasing awareness of this environmentally friendly alternative and,
• reduction of development time for new products with the help of the design handbook.

The suitability of injection moulded products for manufacture with Fasal is determined by the requirements of mechanical properties and the period of useful life (longevity). Material properties of Fasal do not allow a general substitution of plastic, but for many purposes the mechanical properties of conventional polymers exceed the requirements and longevity is unwanted and causes disposal problems. In this fields a substitution is aimed. Applications outside the plastic area are for example in wooden parts with complicated geometry.

Exploitation of the research results by the SME proposers is planned in the following three main application lines:

• non durable products with specific use and need to compost or vanish when in contact with water
• durable products with the properties or appearance of wood used under dry conditions
• durable products with and added surface protection used under humid conditions.

Summary

The project was performed because of the rising demand for alternatives of plastic (packing) products and the availability of several natural materials. The RTD performers are active in the field of material development, product development/design as well as ecological design and renewable resources. The main targets of the Treeplast® project were:

• To break the market for biodegradable products.
• To be a serious alternative for wooden products.
• To convert production wood waste into valuable raw material.

Treeplast® as a first development of the partners is based on a wood/corn composite material named Fasal®, developed in Austria. The target was to develop this injection moulding material towards acceptable mechanical, processing and commercial performances. As a result this new material will be incorporated in the scope of designers and industrial product developers. Treeplast material approach may act as an example for other (bio) materials in the field of bio (degradable) or renewable natural materials. An important aspect is to adapt the right environmentally accepted materials to more durable mass-products. This is in contrast with the known application for biomaterials as perishable products.

A product is more attractive than a material, although a new material may be helpful to introduce a product. Treeplast is a mass-product with freedom of shape made of wood. The main task for the consortium was to find the right product-material combination (product development) within the boundaries of:

• Technical material properties.
• Production facilities of the SMEs
• Competitive (price) market of wood, plastic and biodegradable products.

A Treeplast product must be a good performing product, based on product quality, fit-for-purpose. The developed products in this project fit as the first example for these criteria. Users of the developed handbook need to produce their own Treeplast products for their own needs.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Evert ZUIDDAM / KHZ Kunststoffenindustrie BV NETHERLANDS

Participant

• René STRAVER / Iboma Lopik BV NETHERLANDS
• Robert FRANK / Ikusto GmbH Kunststoffwerk GERMANY
• Interuniversitäres Forschungsinstitut für Agrarbiotechnologie (IFA) / AUSTRIA
• Andreas HöGN / Johann Fuchs & Sohn Gesmbh AUSTRIA
• Paul NIJHUIS / Klompenfabriek Nijhuis BV NETHERLANDS
• Christian LEISTNER-MAYER / Konrad Fischer Gesmbh AUSTRIA
• Paul Siewert EILBRACHT / PE Design & Engineering B.V NETHERLANDS
• Robert WIMMER / Technische Universitaet Wien Gruppe Fuer Angepasste Technologie / AUSTRIA