New European sustainability project coordinated by AITEX
The new European project r-lightbiocom - New bio-based and sustainable raw materials enabling circular value chains of high performance lightweight biocomposites, has a duration of more than 3 years and involves 15 entities (universities, research centres and companies) from 5 different countries and has a duration of 42 months.
New lightweight high performance composite (HPC) materials in conjunction with more efficient sustainable processing technologies have a high impact on performance and environmental benefit for all application sectors. However, currently the application of sustainable HPC is limited to large sectors only, due to their own limitations in terms of: long processing times, high prices and low recyclability.
The r-lightbiocom project proposes a new paradigm in the way high-performance lightweight composite materials are developed and recycled, helping their recyclability through a new design in their production. In addition, the project will contribute to the circularity of materials in order to achieve European objectives in environmental terms and reduce the generation of waste and the use of unsustainable fossil resources.
OBJECTIVES
Initially a catalogue of new bio-based raw materials and high performance composite materials with inherent recyclability properties will be developed (at least 3 new types of bio-resins, 4 new nano-fillers and additives derived from biomass, and 3 families of textile products based on sustainable fibres). To reduce current manufacturing costs associated with high energy consumption and emissions, efficient processing techniques (2 new rapid curing techniques) combined with recycling technologies will be developed to reduce waste generation and induce circularity.
A new open method including certain associated tools, considered within an environment of ecological optimisation; it will holistically promote and standardise the design, modelling together with sustainable and systematic optimisation of high performance composite materials. Consequently, it will allow a continuous and sustainable increase in the variety of such materials, as well as the inclusion of new families of bio-based, recyclable, low-weight and competitively priced bio-based substances from living matter (biomass).
EXPECTED RESULTS
The results will be validated with 3 real business cases: in the automotive, infrastructure and aeronautics sectors. This will contribute to establish new sustainable and innovative value chains in the EU HPC industry, promoting a shift from a linear to a circular paradigm.
“Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement Project No 101091691. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.”
