Nominees for the Innovation Award “Biocomposite of the Year 2017” call attention to new technologies and application fields for biocomposites

The “Biocomposites Conference Cologne” (BCC) (www.biocompositescc.com) will take place on 6 and 7 December 2017 in Cologne, Germany. This year’s conference and exhibition will be the largest industry meeting on biocomposites worldwide. More than 300 participants and 30 exhibitors are expected.

Deutsche Version: https://renewable-carbon.eu/news/nominierte-fuer-den-innovationspreis-biocomposite-of-the-year-2017-zeigen-neue-technologien-und-anwendungsfelder-fuer-biokomposite-auf

Thirteen companies applied for this year’s Innovation Award. The biocomposite experts of the advisory board met on 4 September 2017 and selected six top products. Now, we proudly present the nominees:

BASF SE & Sonae Arauco Deutschland AG (DE): 3D mouldable Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF)
www.sonaearauco.com
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) (NL): Fully bio-based pedestrian bridge
www.tue.nl/en/university/news-and-press/news/24-10-2016-the-worlds-first-biocomposite-bridge-on-the-tue-campus/
GreenBoats (DE): GreenBente24 – boat from 80% renewable materials
www.green-boats.de/greenbente
G.S. Stemeseder GmbH (AT): GS Stratos® passive – sandwich window scantling system
www.stemeseder.com
OWI GmbH (DE): Injection moulded school seat shell
www.owi-lohr.de/news003.html
Raimund Beck Nageltechnik GmbH (AT): LignoLoc® – Collated wooden nails
www.beck-lignoloc.com

One session of the conference will be dedicated to the Innovation Award “Biocomposite of the Year 2017” where each of the six companies will introduce its innovation in a short presentation. Afterwards, the audience will elect three winners out of the following nominees:

17-09-07-BCC-2017-Biocomposite-Award-Nominees

BASF SE & Sonae Arauco Deutschland AG (DE) The innovative 3D mouldable MDF provides the furniture industry with a new wood-based material. It is a thermoplastic processable and storage-stable composite which can be produced on existing MDF production lines. In contrast to standard thermoset boards, it offers post-mouldability and surface structuring of the composites on standard equipment in short cycle times. Due to the increased mouldability of the composite, new design options are possible. The resin system is offered formaldehyde free.

A fully bio-based pedestrian bridge, the first in the world, has been realised at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) (NL). After a successful load test (5,0 kN/m²), the bridge was installed by the company NPSP bv (NL). Flax and hemp fibres provide the strength for the bridge, combined with a bio-based epoxy resin. Polylactic acid (PLA) bio-foam provides the core. The production method was vacuum-infusion: layers of natural fibres were glued around a laser-cut shape of bio-foam.

Usually, mass produced boats are made of fossil-based resins, glass fibres and plastic foam. By contrast, GreenBente24 from GreenBoats (DE) is made from 80% out of renewable materials like flax, cork and bio-based epoxy resin. The GreenBente24 has the same weight and stiffness as a standard boat. The boat achieves a 80% reduction of carbon footprint compared to other options and is and thermally recyclable.

Stratos® passive – sandwich window scantling system by G.S. Stemeseder GmbH (AT) is a combination of a foamed PP and wood composite material with solid wooden elements. The system was developed for the building of passive house windows. Through the reduction in density of approximately 50%, the required specific heat conductivity and Uf-value of ≤ 0.8 W/m²K were achieved. The components are produced with standard machinery and tools of the wood industry and are certified combustible.

OWI GmbH (DE) launched an injection moulded school seat shell. The polypropylene (PP) and wood-based granulates were developed by Linotech GmbH (DE). The chair combines properties such as positive haptics – comfortably soft and warm to the touch – and standard PP chair requirements in terms of flex behaviour, notch impact strength and staple taking properties for upholstery, and stress load cycles without breakages.

Nails made from wood are one of the oldest known fasteners in the world, thus Raimund Beck Nageltechnik GmbH (AT) has initiated the next evolution stage LignoLoc® – collated wooden nails for use with pneumatic nailers. This new technology requires no pre-drilling; offers maximum holding power due to a natural welding effect with the base wood and offers new application fields for domestic beech wood-based composite.

The biocomposites industry meets in Cologne

The wide range of successful new technologies and applications of biocomposites in consumer goods, automotive industries and construction will be presented at the Biocomposites Conference Cologne, 6-7 December 2017 in Cologne, Germany.

The preliminary programme, featuring speakers from industry as well as research and development, is now online at www.biocompositescc.com/programme

nova-Institute would like to acknowledge Coperion GmbH (DE) for sponsoring the renowned Innovation Award “Biocomposite of the Year 2017”. “Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH (DE)” is silver sponsor and FKuR GmbH (DE), Fibres Recherche Développement (FR), Linotech GmbH & Co. KG & ParaPack GmbH (DE), simcon kunststofftechnische Software GmbH (DE), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LTD (FI) are bronze sponsors of the conference.

The exhibition accompanying the conference is up to a great start. Already 19 companies have booked a booth. Interested companies should book as soon as possible because of the limited exhibition area.
Exhibition information: www.biocompositescc.com/exhibitors

Download article as PDF file: 17-09-07 PR Biocomposite of the Year 2017