Download NATURAL FIBRES

•••
NATURAL FIBRES
Materials for a Low Carbon Future
14-16 December 2009
IOM3, London
Organised by
www.iom3.org/events/fibres
•••
NATURAL FIBRES ‘09
Materials for a Low Carbon Future
Natural Fibres ‘09 is one of the final events of the United Nation’s
designated International Year of Natural Fibres. This three day
international conference will celebrate and highlight the increasing
use of natural fibres around the world, raise awareness of their
diverse engineering properties and take an in-depth look at the
research work that is being carried out to quantify and improve
the properties of these environmentally sustainable materials in
engineering and textile applications.
This event will offer an opportunity for natural fibre industries to
come together to foster international partnership and increased
understanding of the role that natural materials can and must
play in ensuring a sustainable future. Days one and two consist
of two simultaneous streams of presentations featuring over 60
international presenters, whilst day three offers the delegates the
chance to visit the Innovation Park at BRE in Watford to see first
hand the use of natural materials in construction.
A register of stakeholders is being compiled in conjunction with this
event. If you would like to register your interest as a stakeholder in
this community, please complete the registration form on the
conference website at www.iom3.org/evetns/fibres and return
it to the event organisers.
Schedule of Events
Monday
14 December
Tuesday
15 December
Wednesday
16 December
08.30-09.25
Conference Registration
08.30-09.30
Registration (for Day Two delegates only)
Visit to Innovation Park, BRE, Watford
09.25-11.20
Conference Start and Opening by Lord Hunt,
Department of Energy and Climate Change
09.30
Conference Start
11.20-11.50
Refreshment Break
13.10-14.00
Lunch and Exhibition Opening
15.40-16.10
Refreshment and Networking Break
17.30-18.30
Poster Session and Drinks
Reception for all delegates
1 Carlton House Terrace
(mince pies and mulled wine)
19.00-21.00
Conference Dinner, 1 Carlton House Terrace.
Ticket required. See Conference Registration
Desk for further information.
10.50-11.30
Refreshment and Networking Break
12.50-13.50
Lunch
15.30-16.00
Refreshment and Networking Break
17.50
Conference Close
18.45
Teas and Coffees for Public Lecture
19.00-20.15
Public Lecture and Launch of Composites
Thematic Working Group
Lean, Mean and Green: The World’s First
Environmentally Friendly Racing Car
Kerry Kirwan, University of Warwick, UK
Followed by Launch of Thematic Working
Group on Bioomposites, by John Williams,
NNFCC
Refreshments to follow.
09.15
Delegates who have booked to go to the
Innovation Park at BRE in Watford meet at 1
Carlton House Terrace at 09.15 in order to
catch the coach at 09.30.
14.30
Arrive back in London from Watford.
Drop off at 1 Carlton House Terrace.
Presentation
Summaries and
Biographical
Details
income generation within the
group.
Welcome and Introduction
to the Institute of Materials,
Minerals and Mining
Conference Opening
Welcome and Introduction by
Conference Chairman
Barry Lye
Lord Hunt
Dr Brett C Suddell
President of the Institute of
Materials, Minerals and Mining
Minister of State for the Department
of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
Senior Materials Scientist ADAS
Rosemaund, UK
Barry Lye has been President
of the IOM3 since 2008. His
background is in ceramic
technology, and as President
his major aims are to improve
communication to members,
to involve younger members
in the running of the Institute,
to encourage them to become
involved in Institute affairs, and
to continue to promote further
education opportunities. He
would like to welcome all of
our national and international
delegates to this conference.
Lord Hunt is Minister of State for
the Department of Energy and
Climate Change (DECC), and
Deputy Leader of the House of
Lords. He leads for DECC on
ensuring the UK has a secure,
low-carbon and affordable energy
supply. This encompasses
DECC’s work on renewables.
He previously served as a
Minister in the Department of
Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, so has an understanding
of the other issues relating to
natural fibres, including
sustainability and agriculture.
Brett is a Chartered
Environmentalist and a Senior
Materials Scientist within the
Sustainable Crop Management
business unit within ADAS (the
UK’s largest environmental
solutions provider). He is
responsible for all business
relating to new material markets
such as biocomposites and the
industrial applications of natural
materials.
Lord Hunt will highlight the support
the UK Government is giving to
the renewable materials industry,
and outline how this low carbon
sector can help mitigate climate
change and contribute to a range
of other sustainability objectives.
Lord Hunt also supports the
Secretary of State on international
energy, and represents DECC
in the House of Lords.
Prior to joining ADAS Brett
was Head of Materials at the
BioComposites Centre located
at Bangor University and part
of the senior management
team of the centre. He was
responsible for all aspects of
research conducted within
the centre and at its pilot plant
facility located on Anglesey
whilst also being responsible
for a multidisciplinary team of
scientists, assistant scientists
and technicians along with
Brett trained as a Materials
Scientist at Swansea University
(Wales) sponsored through
his postgraduate courses of
Masters of Research (MRes)
and PhD by Rolls Royce
plc undertaking research in
Aerospace materials. As a
Senior Research Assistant Brett
conducted research into the
use of natural fibres within the
automotive industry on a global
scale, this is where his interest
in natural materials began.
Following this research Brett
worked on recycling agricultural
waste materials into value
added composite products
and holds a patent as a result
of this research.
He has received and given
numerous conference plenary
and keynote invitations and
was also invited to address
the United Nations Food
and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) at their intersessional
meeting in Brazil in 2003 and
in October 2008 at the FAO
HQ in Rome. He also received
a Royal Society International
Travel Fellowship in 2003. He
has written numerous journal
and conference publications
including a book chapter in
‘Natural fibers, Biopolymers
and BioComposites’ published
in 2005.
Brett is a Fellow of the Institute
of Materials, Minerals and
Mining and a keen supporter
of the materials profession on
local, national and international
fronts. He is the current Senior
Vice President of the Institute
of Materials, Minerals and
Mining (IoM3) and was the
longest serving chair of the
Younger Members Committee
for 6 years responsible for
introducing a number of
Younger member initiatives
such as soft skills seminars,
the IoM3 silver prestige award,
Young Persons’ World lecture
competition and significantly
raising the profile of younger
members within the Institute. In
2008 he was appointed to the
FEMS (Federation of European
Materials Societies) executive
representing the UK.
Brett sits on the organising
committees of a number of
international conferences
and is also a steering group
member of a number of
networks including the
Welsh Composites Training
consortium (WECOTAC), Welsh
Composites Network (WECON),
Wealth out of Waste (WoW),
Construction Knowledge Wales
and Sustainable Composites
Network (SusCompNet). He
chaired the ‘Natural materials’
conference in March 2008
and the Materials and Design
exchange event in London also
in March 2008.
Brett is a reviewer for the
European Science Foundation
(ESF) and an invited reviewer
for the Journal of Materials
Science and the Journal
of Biobased Materials and
BioEnergy and an external
PhD examiner for the
University of New South Wales
(Australia) and an MRes and
PhD examiner for Swansea
University. He has also acted
as an external consultant for
the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organisation.
Event Programme  14 December,
DayFibres
1
Natural
’09 Programme – Updated 8 December 2009
14 December: Day 1
09.25
Welcome to IOM3
Barry Lye, President of Materials, Minerals and Mining
Opening of Conference Lord Hunt
Introduction to the Conference
DECC
Dr Brett Suddell, Conference Chairman
Session 1: Innovations
Session 2: Textile fibres, Extraction and Production
10.00
Keynote. Natural Fibre
Composites and All Green
Composites for a Sustainable
Manufacturing: Where We Are
and Future Directions
Professor A Mohanty: Department of
Plant Agriculture and School of
Engineering, University of Guelph,
Ontario, Canada
Keynote. Natural Fibre Composites
with 3D Woven Reinforcement for New
Application Areas
Dr J Soden: School of Art and
Design, University of Ulster,
Belfast
10.40
The InCrops Enterprise Hub:
Promoting Innovation in Fibre Crops
in the East of England
J French, N Corker, & C GonzalezEsquivel: InCrops Enterprise Hub,
University of East Anglia, UK
The Production and Extraction of FlaxFibre for Textile Fibres
MRL Horne: De Montfort University,
UK
11.00
Quantative Life Cycle Analysis for
Flax Fibres
NPJ Dissanayake, J Summerscales,
SM Grove & MM Singh: University of
Plymouth, UK
Wool – Optimising the Unique Fibre
Properties of Wool in Packaging
Applications
A Morris: Woolcool, UK
11.20
Break
Break
Session 3: Extraction and Structural Applications
Session 4: Textile Applications
11.50
DunAgro – A New Approach to
Hemp Processing
S Amelynck & H. Koether: Van
Dommele Engineering, Belgium
From Field to Fashion, From Couch to
Catwalk: the Story of Nettles
12.10
Jungle to People: Pineapple Leaf
Fibre Leather Substitute
C Hijosa: Royal College of Art, London
Mainstreaming Fibres in Fashion. A Case
Study: Alpaca in Latin America and Jute
in Asia
12.30
Sustainable Nano-enhanced
Structural Biocomposites: A New
Hope in Green Materials World.
M Misra: University of Guelph, Ontario
Pineapple Leaves: From Agricultural
Refuse To High Quality Fabric
W Sricharussin & C Silapasunthorn:
Silpakorn University, Thailand
12.50
Technical and Market Developments
Towards a Fully Biobased Fibre
Reinforced Thermosetting
Composite Material
LL Hensen & WOJ Böttger. NPSP
Composieten BV, Netherlands
VLAdA : Recycled Kraft paper, Textile
Fibres and Raw Plants.
MI Rodriguez: BESARTE, Spain
13.10
Lunch
Lunch
J Harwood, M Horne, D Waldron &
J Williams: De Montfort University,
UK
J Condor-Vidal: Trading for
Development, UK
Session 5: Natural Composite Applications
Session 6: Construction Applications
14.00
Keynote. Market Overview:
Modern industrial applications of
natural fibres
M Carus: Managing Director of novaInstitute of Ecology and Innovation,
Germany
Keynote. Natural Fibre Reinforced
Composites Opportunities and
Challenges
Professor C Hill: Centre for
Timber Engineering, Edinburgh
Napier University
14.40
A Story About Grass. The
Production of Grass-Fibre Based
Products in a Biorefinery Context
G O'Malley: Biorefinery Ireland
Analysis of Bamboo Permanent Shutter
Concrete Slab Subjected to Bending for
use in Hydropower Structures
EH Achá & K Ghavami: Pontifícia
Universidade Católica do Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil
15.00
Hemp: a Novel Material for Use in
the Friction Industry?
W. Newby, M. Sloan, & K. E. Evans:
University of Exeter, UK
Development of Strong Natural Fibre
Composites for Construction
M Fan: Brunel University, UK
15.20
Coir Fibre Reinforced Bio-Composite
Concrete Panels for Low Cost
Housing
M Sivaraja & R Saravanan: Kongu
Engineering College, India
Hemp and Lime Composites in
Sustainable Construction
I Pritchett: Lime Technology, UK
15.40
Break
Break
Session 7: Material Characterisation
Session 8: Construction Applications Continued
16.10
Microstructural and Mechanical
Aspects of Bagasse Fiber
Reinforced Epoxy Composites at
Liquid Nitrogen Temperature
SK Acharya & P Mishra: National
Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India
Potential for Hemp Insulation in
Construction Sector in the UK
E Latif & S Tucker: University of
East London, UK
16.30
Optimisation of Interfaces in
Biodegradable and Natural Fibre
Composites
A Hodzic: University of Sheffield, UK
Properties of Natural Fibre Reinforced
Concrete
M Ali: National Engineering
Services Pakistan (NESPAK)
16.50
Characterization of Date Palm FiberPolypropylene Composite Material
A Alawar: United Arab Emirates
University
Effect of Animal Fibres Reinforcement on
Stabilized Earth Mechanical Properties
C Galán-Marín & C Rivera-Gómez:
University of Seville, Spain
17.10
Strain Rate Dependent Properties of
Natural Fibres for Composite
Materials
DA Jesson, B Di Napoli & PA Smith:
University of Surrey, UK
High Integrity Joints for Sisal-Epoxy
Composites
MP Ansell, C Gonzalez Murillo, M
Fagan & M Thomson: University of
Bath, UK
17.30
Close of Day 1
17.30
Conference Poster and Networking
Session followed by Conference
Dinner (tickets required)
Close of Day 1
Event Programme  15 December, Day 2
15 December - Day 2
08.30
Registration
Registration
Session 9: Fibre Extraction
Session 10: Natural Fibre Composites Industrial Applications
09.30
Keynote. Hemp Growing &
Processing Innovation in
Australia
P Warner: Ecofibre Industries
Limited, Australia
Keynote: Industrial Hemp in
Composite Material Applications and
Overview of Natural Fibre Activities in
Western Canada from a Research and
Government Perspective
J Wolodko, W Chute, L McIlveen,
K Alemaskin, A Fuhr & H Rho:
Advanced Materials Business
Unit, Alberta, Canada
10.10
Extraction Methods for New Zealand
Indigenous Fibres
N Hati, ALP Rickard & A Keyte-Beattie:
Scion, New Zealand
New Future and Perspectives for Natural
Fibres in High Level Technology
Industries and the Effects on Producing
Poverty Alleviation
W Andrade: Sindifibras, Brazil
10.30
Use of Fibre Obtained from Banana
Tree as Reinforcement of
Polyethylene Matrix
Z Ortega, AN Benítez, MD Monzón, P
Hernández, I Angulo & MD Marrero:
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran
Canaria, Spain
Manufacturing Methodology of Hemp
Fibre Reinforced Sheet Mould
Composites (H-SMC)
H Patel, TD Harpuarachchi, S
Crowther, M Fan, PJ Hogg, & G.
Ren: University of Hertfordshire, UK
10.50
Break
Break
Session 11: Fibre Properties
Session 12: Biocomposite Applications
11.30
Wetting Behaviour and Surface
Energy of Coconut (Coir) Fibres
LQN Tran, CA Fuentes, C Dupont, AW
Van Vuure, & I Verpoest: Katholieke
Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Development of Aligned Natural FibreReinforced Thermoplastic Biocomposite
Materials for High-Performance
Applications
BM Weager, EL Arnold & GR
Bishop: NetComposites Ltd, UK
11.50
Nanoindentation Contribution to
Mechanical Characterization of
Vegetal Fibers
A Bourmaud, C Morvan, & C Baley:
LIMATB Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des
MATériaux de Bretagne Equipe
Polymères, France
All-Cellulose Composites
T Peijs, N Soykeabkaew, R
Arevalo: Queen Mary University of
London, UK
12.10
Hemp Fibre Circular Tubes for
Structural Applications
BT Weclawski and M Fan: Brunel
University, UK
The Utilisation of Waste Fibres for
Industrial Applications
RM Elias: BioComposites Centre,
Bangor University, UK
12.30
Molecular and Cell Biological
Analysis of Natural Plant Fibres
JP Knox: University of Leeds, UK
The Use of Raman Spectroscopy to
Follow Interfaces in Natural Fibre
Composites
S.J. Eichhorn: University of
Manchester, UK
12.50
Lunch
Lunch
Session 13: Sisal Economics and Physical Properties (Sponsored by London
Sisal Association)
Session 14: Natural Fibres in General
13.50
Keynote.The Economic Significance
and Contribution to Poverty
Reduction of Sisal Production and
Utilisation in Tanzania
S Shamte: London Sisal
Association / Katani Limited,
Tanzania
Keynote. Natural Fibres &
Renewability
J Williams: Head of Polymers &
Materials, NNFCC, UK
14.30
Effect of Transcrystallinity on Microbond
Shear Strength at Sisal Fibre – Polylactic
Acid Interface
Mechanical Behaviour of Natural Sisal
Fibers
M Prajer & MP Ansell: Bath
University, UK
Potentials of Bast and Hard fibres in
Technical Products
J Steger: SachsenLeinen GmbH,
Germany
FA Silva, N Chawla, & RD Toledo
Filho: Technical University of
Dresden, Germany
Fabrication of Jute Fibre Reinforced
Composites using Cardanol-Based
Resins as Matrix
P Campaner, N Cronin, D D’Amico,
L Longo, A Maffezzoli, C Stifani, A
Tarzia: Elmira Ltd, UK
A Delille, KY Lee, A Bismarck and
A Mantalaris: Imperial College
London
Effect of Underwater Shock Wave
Treated Jute Fibres on Composite
Properties
GMS Rahman & S Itoh: Kumamoto
University, Japan
14.50
15.10
Influence of the Natural Fibre Coating on
Interfacial Adhesion Between the Fibres
and the Polymeric Matrix in Composites
15.30
Break
Break
Session 15: Textile Applications
Session 16: Characterisation and Properties
16.00
A Matter of Life and Death ...Thinking
Outside the Box
Y Somme & A Belgrave,
Bellacouche, UK
Characterisation of Biocomposites
Manufactured from Natural Fibres,
Sustainable Resins and Lignin as a Filler
Nanoscale Toughness of Spider Silk
BM Wood, SR Coles, K Kirwan &
SJ Maggs: University of Warwick,
UK
D Porter & F Vollrath: University of
Oxford, UK
16.20
Linen and Hemp: Green Fibres Focused
on Innovation and Performance
Applications in the Field of Mobility
J Pariset & J Baets: CELC Masters
of Linen, France
16.40
The Role of Cotton in Sustaining the
Sudanese Rural and Urban Community
Life over Decades and future look
H Ahmed: Africa City of
Technology, Sudan
PLA and PP Composites with Cellulosic
Fibres from Wood Industry and Peat
K Immonen & J Lampinen: VTT,
Finland
17.00
Designing with Naturally Coloured Fibres
– Challenges and Rewards
BM Marshall: Marshall Design,
Australia
Preparation and Properties of Wheat
Flour Reinforced with Wheat Straw using
Extrusion Processing
W Xia, YG Kang, K Tarverdi, & JH
Song: Brunel University, UK
17.20
The BRE Innovation Park
17.40
Conference Close
M Patten & I Pritchett: Lime
Technology Ltd, UK
19.00
Public Lecture and Launch of
Composites Thematic Working Group
Conference Close
SESSION
1
Professor
Amar K Mohanty
Director of Bioproducts Discovery
& Development Centre (BDDC),
Department of Plant Agriculture and
School of Engineering, University
of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Amar Mohanty is a Professor and holds Premier’s Research
Chair in Biomaterials and Transportation and is the Director of
the Bioproducts Discovery & Development Centre (BDDC), at the
University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. His research interests are
biobased materials including natural fibre composites, bioplastics,
green composites, nano-blends and green nanocomposites.
Amar has authored and co-authored more than 350 publications
including, 147 peer reviewed journal papers, 14 awarded US
patents, 2 edited books, 3 text books, 7 book chapters and several
conference publications/presentations. Currently his research is
being supported by several Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) grants, Ontario Ministry of Research and
Innovation (MRI) awards, Hannam Soybean Utilization Fund, Natural
•••
INNOVATIONS
Session Chair:
Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)-Discovery
grant, AUTO21, Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade Canada (DFAIT) and Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
He was the holder of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt
Fellowship, Germany. He was the recipient of Andrew Chase Forest
MICHAEL CARUS
Products Division Award from the Forest Products Division of the
Managing Director of
nova-Institute of
Ecology and Innovation,
Germany
American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Dr. Mohanty serves as
Editorial Board Member in the Journal of Polymers and Environment,
Recent Patents on Material Science and Journal of Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Biobased
Materials and Bioenergy. Dr. Mohanty was the lead editor of the CRC
book entitled ‘Natural Fibres, Biopolymers and Biocomposites’
and American Scientific Publisher’s book entitled “Packaging
Nanotechnology”. He is one of the Directors of the Forest Product
Division, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and is the
Vice-President (2009-10) of the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society.
KEYNOTE.
Natural fibre composites and all green composites
for a sustainable manufacturing: where we are and
future directions
The unpredictable price of crude oil, national security, reduced landfill
space and escalating environmental threats are daily headlines. The
government’s push for green products, consumers’ desire, and energy
conservation are some of the key factors that drive research towards
the development of renewable resource-based natural and green
composite materials.
Biobased economy is challenging to agriculture, forestry, academia,
government and industry. The incorporation of bio-resources, e.g.
crop-derived green plastics and plant derived biofibres (natural fibres)
into composite materials are gaining prime importance in designing and
engineering green composites. Biocomposites derived from natural
fibers and traditional polymers like polypropylene, polyethylene, epoxy
and polyesters have been developed for automotive parts and building
structures. Renewable resource based bioplastics like polylactic acid
(PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biobased polytrimethylene
terephthalate (PTT), cellulosic plastics, soy/corn/wheat protein based
bioplastics and vegetable oils derived bioresins need value-added and
diverse applications to compete with the fossil fuel derived plastics.
Through reactive blends, composites and nanocomposites new
biobased materials are under constant development. The door is
opening and path is clearing-up for many emerging biopolymers and
biobased composite materials that are poised to create a major break
through in the commercial in-roads.
Natural fibres are lighter, less expensive, have superior specific
strength, require comparatively less energy to produce, are good for
the environment, biodegradable and have superior sound abatement
characteristics as compared to synthetic glass fibres. All of these
attributes are quite favorable, especially in the automotive sector where
even a fractional weight saving can make a significant contribution
to energy savings with reduced gasoline consumption and with
added advantages of eco-friendliness. It is true that natural fibres
are comparatively hydrophilic and less thermally stable as compared
to glass fibers. However, the recent developments of natural fibre
technologies overcome these disadvantages if used intelligently.
Hybrid and intelligently engineered green composites are going to be
the major drivers for sustainable developments. Besides agricultural
natural fibers like kenaf, jute, flax, industrial hemp, sisal and henequen;
inexpensive biomasses such as wheat straw, rice stalks, corn stovers,
grasses, soy stalks and lignin (the byproducts from pulp and paper
and lingo-cellulosic ethanol industries) have great potential for use in
sustainable biobased composite materials.
This presentation will highlight the current status, opportunities and
challenges of bioplastics, natural fibre composites and green composites
for uses in car parts, consumer goods and sustainable packaging.
Natural fibre reinforcements in conjunction with nanotechnology are
poised to create major breakthroughs.
Chemistry plays a vital role and thus possesses several opportunities
and challenges like effective chemical modification of reinforcements
(fibre/clay), use of novel coupling agents, and matrix modifications.
Some of the important challenges in the design and engineering of
green composites for structural/semi-structural applications are: 1).
Supply chain of natural fibres, 2). High yield crops and biomass,3.
Engineered bioresins, 4. Intelligent uses of natural fibre composites, 5.
Hybrid biocomposites, 6. Heirarchical nano-biocomposites; 7. Long
fibre extrusion and injection molding and 8. The improved processing
that would encompass co-melt processing and design of light weight
green composites.
Without a doubt, fossil fuel-based products are not going to be
phased-out entirely, but their use will taper-down. The goal is to use
natural fibre composites containing the maximum possible amount of
renewable biomass-based derivatives to have a sustainable future in
the composite materials industries.
The InCrops enterprise hub: promoting innovation
in fibre crops in the east of england
J French, N Corker, & C Gonzalez-Esquivel: InCrops Enterprise Hub,
University of East Anglia, Earlham Road, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
[email protected]  [email protected]
Tel: (01603) 591765
Quantative Life Cycle Analysis for Flax Fibres
NPJ Dissanayake, J Summerscales, SM Grove & MM Singh:
University of Plymouth, UK
Advanced Composites Manufacturing Centre, School of Engineering, University
of Plymouth, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
[email protected]  Tel: +44(0) 1752 586121
Dr. Carlos Gonzalez-Esquivel I have a first degree in Animal
John Summerscales was educated at UWIST Cardiff (BSc (Joint
Production from the University of the State of Mexico and a Ph.D.
Honours) Applied Sciences: Chemistry & Polymers), Thames
in sustainable agriculture from Wye College London. I have worked
Polytechnic (MSc: Molecular Science of Materials) and Plymouth
since 1994 in the evaluation of agroecosystem sustainability using
Polytechnic (PhD: hybrid fibre-composites), with a year at the
indicators. I have also conducted and collaborated in field trials using
Central Patents Index between the latter. He completed a
forage crops (grass, cereals and their associations with legumes),
Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Adult Education) at UoP
as well as horticultural crops under organic management. Most
in 1998. After the doctorate, he studied thermal insulation for a
trials have been carried out on-farm using participatory approaches,
hyperbaric liferaft for the Diving Diseases Research Centre,
looking at the productive, economic and environmental effects of
followed by five years with the Ministry of Defence (Navy).
conventional and alternative resource management strategies.
In 1987, he joined the new Advanced Composites Manufacturing
As an agri-business officer at the InCrops Enterprise Hub, my role
Centre (ACMC at UoP). Dr Summerscales is currently Reader in
is to promote alternative and non-food crops amongst farmers
Composites Engineering at the University of Plymouth.
and small and medium enterprises. As part of the project I am now
conducting experimental and demonstration trials at Easton College
and other locations in the East of England.
In this work alkaline treatment at different conditions has been applied
to enhance the interface between flax fibers and cement matrix.
The effect of alkaline treatment parameters on tensile, flexure and
compressive strength was examined and reported in this paper.
Natural fibres are perceived as a sustainable alternative to glass fibres
for the reinforcement of polymer matrix composites. This paper reports
a Quantitative Life Cycle Analysis for flax fibres (to be judged against
glass fibres) using the eight environmental impact classification factors
identified in ISO/TR 14047:2003.
2
JA Soden and
GFJ Stewart
SESSION
School of Art and Design,
University of Ulster, Belfast
Julie is currently a Reader in Constructed Textiles and 3D
Composites Research at the University of Ulster Belfast,
Northern Ireland. With a BA (Hons) textile design background,
she has successfully spanned the boundaries that exist between
technical textile design and engineering composite domains to
specialise in 3D woven composite components.
As a researcher at UU in the 1990’s, she was instrumental in
developing 3D woven carbon reinforcements in conjunction with
the SPARC1 research program with Bombardier Shorts plc using
Jacquard weave technology and also developed CAD design
software for 3D woven materials as part of a knowledge-based
system for composite materials. She has since collaborated on
a range of cross-discipline EU, EPSRC, TDP and International
•••
TEXTILE FIBRES
Session Chair:
funded programs. Projects have included woven composite
vehicle chassis, rib-stiffeners for aerospace, composite structural
beams, composite design panels and aerodynamic parts for
the Worlds First Sustainable Racing Car. Her research has been
disseminated internationally through leading Composite and
PROFESSOR
CALLUM HILL
Technical Textile Conferences and peer reviewed journals.
Centre for Timber
Engineering,
Edinburgh Napier
University
Julie currently leads an AHRC funded program pioneering the
design of 3D woven natural fibre composites, where near-net
shaping, custom tailoring of reinforcement properties,
composite manufacturing parameters and multi-functionality
are key characteristics.
Julie also lectures on the Textiles and Fashion Design
undergraduate degree program at UU Belfast. She contributes
to commercial design programs involving new materials, CAD
and digital weave design for fashion and interior markets.
KEYNOTE.
Natural fibre composites with 3D woven
reinforcement for new application areas
This research pioneers 3D woven natural fibre composites using
epoxy and bioresin matrix systems. A higher-specification ecocomposite material, resin processed via the VARTM method with
specific structural characteristics has been produced. With enhanced
properties in the through-the-thickness orientation, these can be
assigned for trial in a variety of prototype applications.
Collaborative research reported in this paper uses textile design
expertise gained from developing 3D wovens and carbon
composites for aerospace research that has been redirected
into the natural fibre composites arena. 3D woven materials have
primarily been developed in carbon fibre to serve a need within high
specification aerospace and military applications, where tolerances
and specifications are stringent. The key objective of the textile
preform is to provide structural load-bearing reinforcement. New 3D
woven structures have now been produced in natural fibres.
Driven by requirements in the automotive sector, the majority of
natural fibre composites are manufactured using non-woven fibre
mat products in flax, hemp, and hybrid mixed fibre assemblies
with orientated fibre direction, or single layer woven plied
laminates. These materials target appropriate yet non-load-bearing
applications and have seen steady growth in the last 7 years.
However, the lack of continuous fibre integrity within the textile
part is a significant factor which inhibits their development and
selection for higher specification structural parts with load-bearing
capabilities for a range of industries.
This research undertaken at the University of Ulster reports on the
introduction of 3D woven natural fibre composites using epoxy and
bioresin matrix systems. It advances both discovery and innovation
by generating a new class of natural fibre composite material
resin processed via the VARTM method with specific structural
characteristics. With enhanced properties in the through-the-thickness
(Z-Axis) orientation, these can be assigned for trial in a variety of
prototype applications
A range of 3D woven fabric architectures have been fabricated
in flax and naturally derived viscose rayon yarns for discussion,
analysis and testing. The initial results from mechanical test programs
assessing flexural strength and impact tolerance have indicated
encouraging results when compared to laminated structures.
The production and extraction of flax-fibre
for textile fibres
Wool – optimising the unique fibre properties
of wool in packaging applications
MRL Horne
A Morris, Woolcool, UK. Stable Court, Oakley, Market Drayton,
Shropshire, TF9 4AG
Textile Engineering and Materials (TEAM) research group,
De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, UK, LE1 9BH
Tel: 01603 656165  [email protected]
[email protected]  Tel: 0116 2577550
Matthew has been working in natural fibre research at De Montfort
Angela Morris has been a specialist in packaging design for 30
University, Leicester for the last five years. His research interests
years. Through her successful packaging consultancy, Angela
include a number of topics relating agricultural and environmental
provides broad based packaging solutions and integrated design
science to the production of natural fibres. He is particularly
management for clients large and small, including Cadbury’s, BHS,
focused on the successful development of sustainable natural fibre
Avon and The National Trust. With a true enthusiasm for her field,
supply chains for high-value textiles, including agricultural crop
Angela is also a visiting lecturer on the Design Management MA
production, fibre crop conversion technology, and end user added
course at the University of Northumbria.
value. He has worked extensively on the development of flax,
hemp and stinging nettles as a source of textile fibre in partnership
with a number of private sector enterprises, both in the UK, the EU
and globally. Future work will involve the continued improvement
of the quality of fibre (fibre fineness, fibre length, etc) available
from commercial bast fibre crops (flax, hemp & Sting nettle),
through plant breeding, improved crop management and improved
conversion technology. Also, future work will investigate how to
identify and exploit the key factors that maintain fibre quality (fibre
fineness, fibre length, etc) in expanding stakeholder unit networks,
within the agro-fibre supply chain.
Implications considered in Matthew’s research are for both public
and private sector stakeholders. His research has contributed to
insights for a number of public and private sector stakeholders with
an interest in sustainable agriculture, agro-industrial crops and their
products. Additionally, Dr Horne’s research has contributed to the
academic literature and the theoretical debates therein.
The cultivation and processing of flax crops for the production of a
whole yield of a single quality of high-value ‘spinnable’ fibre has been
investigated in crop and processing trials at De Montfort University,
UK. Crop production has been investigated in farm trials and
assessed for cost effectiveness, while fibre extraction methods have
been developed and tested. This work examines the fibre quality
that could be expected from a commercial flax production and the
effectiveness of decortication and fibre separation technologies.
With a particular passion for optimising and reducing excessive
packaging, Angela is committed to developing innovative,
environmentally friendly solutions wherever possible. In 2009
she founded The Wool Packaging Company and launched the
biodegradable and sustainable alternative to polystyrene insulated
packaging, woolcool®. Angela has won the prestigious Institute
of Packaging ‘Starpack Award’, the Observer Food Monthly Best
Innovation Award for woolcool® and is shortlisted in the 2009
Green Awards for Packaging.
The original ‘smart fibre’, wool, has been increasingly sidelined by
the development of man-made fibres but the case for its resurgence
is more compelling than ever. Sustainable, biodegradable and with
unique insulation properties, this paper demonstrates how innovative
commercial applications for wool could re-invigorate the global
wool industry.
SESSION
3
DunAgro – a new approach to hemp processing
S Amelynck and H. Koether, Van Dommele Engineering, Belgium
Van Dommele Engineering, Bissegemstraat 169, 8560
Gullegem-Wevelgem, Belgium
Jungle to people: pineapple leaf fibre
leather substitute
C Hijosa, Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU, UK
[email protected]
EXTRACTION AND
STRUCTURAL
APPLICATIONS
Session Chair:
MICHAEL CARUS
Managing Director
of nova-Institute of
Ecology and Innovation,
Germany
M Misra, University of Guelph, Ontario
[email protected]  Tel: +32 56 431 562
Helmut Koether works as a sales engineer for Van Dommele
Carmen Hijosa graduated in 2002 with a BDes (honours) and an
This presentation intends at reporting very recent developments in
Engineering located in Gullegem, Belgium. He has a master
MA in textile design from the National College of Art and Design
processing, properties and applications of structural nano-enhanced
degree in Industrial Design and in Industrial Management and
in Dublin, Ireland. She is presently a researcher/designer, pre-
composites produced from natural fibres, nano size fillers and
joined Van Dommele in 2004.
paring a PhD in the Royal College of Art and Design in London.
functionalized plant/vegetable oil. The progress of these bio-based
Her project: ‘Jungle to People, Environmentally Sustainable
nanocomposites will facilitate a rapid transition to a bio-economy
Van Dommele builds turnkey processing lines for bast fibres such
flax, hemp and kenaf. Helmut will be giving a presentation about the
latest processing lines they have put in operation this year.
Products and Ethical Design’, aims to develop an alternative to
by providing a foundation of economic and environmental
leather derived from natural fibres extracted from waste pine-
sustainability for natural fibre-composite industries.
DunAgro is an integrated approach to hemp straw processing in
which the main goal is to reduce the overall processing cost. This
cost reduction is achieved by optimizing the harvest and by keeping
the initial investment, the energy consumption and the labour cost
as low as possible.
In 1977 she co-founded and was designer of ‘Chesneau Leather
apple leaves. Carmen is a social entrepreneur and designer.
Goods’, a manufacturing company of luxury leather goods in
Ireland. In the 1990s Carmen become a design consultant
with the World Bank and the EU. From 1993 she has been
working in the Philippines with various government departments
developing products (textiles and fashion accessories) for the
•••
Sustainable nano-enhanced structural
biocomposites: a new hope in green
materials world
export market, using local skills and raw materials.
Carmen’s work has been exhibited and sold in Europe, USA, Japan
and the Philippines. A new product based in the use of pineapple
leaf fibres (PLF) is being developed by Carmen Hijosa as part of her
PhD as a researcher in the Fashion and Textiles Department of the
Royal College of Art and Design, London. The project called ‘Jungle
to People’ aims at developing a leather substitute derived from PLF
which are a by-product of the pineapple.
Dr. Manju Misra is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering
and cross appointed in the department of Plant Agriculture at the
University Of Guelph, Ontario, Canada and is pursuing research
activities in the area of sustainable materials for past twenty years.
Her current research is primarily focused on novel biobased
composites/nanocomposite materials from agricultural and forestry
resources for the sustainable bio-economy; and application of
nanotechnology in materials uses.
Currently in her position, she is collaborating with DuPont, Ford Motor
Company, MaxTech manufacturing, GreenCore Composites and
EnerGrow, Arkema Chemical Company, Stemergy Inc., FlaxCraft Inc,
and Green Field Ethanol in various nano-bio materials applications
with funding from NSERC Canada.
Technical and market developments towards
a fully biobased fibre reinforced thermosetting
composite material
LL Hensen and WOJ Böttger. NPSP Composieten BV, Netherlands, NPSP
Composieten BV, Kuppersweg 31, 2031 EA, Haarlem, the Netherlands
[email protected]  Tel: +31 23 55 123 28
Lindy Hensen graduated in Industrial Design Engineering, in the
master Strategic Product Design, focused on innovation management.
Lindy Hensen has been working at NPSP Composieten as project
coordinator NaBasCo since may 2008. NaBasCo, an abbreviation
for nature based composites, is NPSP’s brand for bio-based
thermosetting composites.
Lindy is responsible for the research & development and business
development of these bio-composites at NPSP. Important R&D
focus points are the optimization of natural fibres for use in composites
and the joint development and processing of bio-based resins into
high performance composites.
Work is done on the development and optimization of bio-based
fibre reinforced thermosetting composites. Subjects involve:

Value chain of biobased composite products and its
possible optimizations

From fibres to non wovens, wovens and uni-directional

Developments in thermosetting bio resins

Towards a high performance material

Projects in which technical developments have
been demonstrated
The presentation shows the current possibilities and an
overview of the important topics for future developments
towards fully bio-based composites.
SESSION
4
From field to fashion, from couch to catwalk:
the story of nettles
Mainstreaming fibres in fashion.
A case study: alpaca in latin america and jute in asia
Pineapple leaves: from agricultural refuse
to high guality fabric
J Harwood, M Horne, D Waldron and J Williams, De Montfort University,
Leicester, United Kingdom
J Condor-Vidal, Trading for Development Director, 11 Walton Street, Oxford
OX1-2HG Ethical Fashion Forum director, www.ethicalfashionforum.com
World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) Associate www.wfto.org
W.Sricharussin, C.Silapasunthorn
[email protected]
[email protected]  Tel: 00-441865-558114
1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakorn Pathom, 73000
Thailand  [email protected]
2 Center of Excellence for Petroleum, Petrochemicals, and Advanced Materials,
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Dennis Waldron is a Senior Research Fellow having gained a first
Judith Condor-Vidal, Peruvian, associate member of the World
Assistant Professor Wimonrat Sricharussin studied Polymer
degree in Metallurgy at Nottingham University before studying for
Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and director of Trading for
Science to Master level at Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
a MSc in Corrosion Science and Engineering. He recently gained
Development. TFD’s work involves opening markets for Fair
and in 2001 earned her PhD in textile finishing from the School
a MPhil in textile technology, studying the effects of maturation
Trade producers and building support for Fair Trade across
of Textile Industries - University of Leeds (UK). She has been
on the primary processing of flax, at De Montfort University.
Europe. Her concern is to make world trade fairer, giving pride
a member of the academic staff at Silpakorn University since
of place to small scale producers. Judith is also trustee of the
1995, holding the position of Head of the Materials Science and
Ethical Fashion Forum.
Engineering Department for a few years. She also served as
With almost 30 years industrial experience in the fibre industry
involved with manufacture, development and research, Dennis
joined the Textile Engineering And Materials (TEAM) Research
Group at De Montfort University in 2002. Within this role the
work has been directed into two major areas; firstly research
associated with natural fibres and sustainable technologies in
the textile industry and secondly support and intervention for
small local textile businesses wishing to make the transition
•••
TEXTILE
APPLICATIONS
Session Chair:
from standard commodity products into those which are
considered to be technical textiles. Currently he is involved with
the development of local “on-farm” processing of bast fibres
including flax, hemp and stinging nettles.
The role within TEAM also involves some lecturing to
MICHAEL CARUS
undergraduates on topics related to natural fibres, sustainable
Julie Soden, School
of Art and Design,
University of Ulster,
Belfast
technologies and use of fibres in technical textile applications as
well as providing support for undergraduate and post graduate
research projects.
Mankind has obtained fibres from plants for numerous centuries
and the current desire for natural fibres has stimulated research
into some of the older fibres. The stinging nettle is one such plant
where the application of modern technology is helping to revive
its use.
Associated Dean of Student Affairs in 2002.
Natural fibres are used in everyday clothing. The production of
natural fibres totals around 30 millions of tons every year. A large
percentage of this output is produced by small-scale producers in
the South, many earning less than a dollar a day. This presentation
highlights a small experience in mainstreaming. TFD works with
certified Fair Trade producers. TFD partners are all members of
the World Fair Trade Organisation. It attempts to share this
experience and to draw attention to the benefits and challenges
of this experience.
Dr. Sricharussin is the creator and event manager for the FuSeM
2009 International Conference recently held in Bangkok. She is
the author of a book on textile technologies (in Thai) as well as of
numerous journal and conference papers.
Her research activities are mainly focussed on the finishing
properties of natural fibres, especially cotton, the use of natural
dyes and the exploitation of less known natural fibres, such as
those extracted from pineapple leaves.
Enzymes are non-toxic and environmentally friendly biocatalysts.
As biotechnology makes rapid progress regarding their application
conditions, this finishing process is gaining increasing industrial
consideration. This work examines the effectiveness of enzymes
to scour pineapple leaf fibres (PALF). The dyeing properties of
PALF-blended cotton fabric are also investigated.
VLAdA : Recycled kraft paper, textile fibres
and raw plants
MI Rodriguez: BESARTE, Spain
Developing + Innovation. BESARTE, Production of Paper from Recovered Fibres.
Ventorrillo 1. 39491 Pesquera. Cantabria, Spain
Tel: 0034-942090139 / 622207803  [email protected].
Born in a village north of Madrid, on February 5th, 1954, for a
while, I hated my own name, Maria Isabel, preferring my Christian saint’s day, Agatha. My parents decided for us, their seven
children, to move to the city when I was 3. Since childhood I
liked drawing, but the scientific part of my mind, pushed me into
Mathematics when I went to university. Now, it’s good to count
papers, then, it was useful to gather every hippie in Madrid, or
the attics I lived in, when I became independent, at 19, young for
dreaming of London, and ever singing English songs.
I turned 21 and said goodbye to coin gramophones at the west
park, exchanging countries, leaving Spanish for English, college
for etching at Epsom, Oxford, and Banbury schools. With another earth turn, I was back, in the northern region, Cantabria. Our
two daughters were born here; being a fighter for sustainability
those days was a rare avis, but I got credentials as solar projects
designer and founded a small industry to make interdependence
living tools: recovering fibres for renewable products made of
paper and providing environmental education. I am grateful.
Energy saving and the reduction of carbon gas emissions have
increasingly become an important part of our daily life. Within this
context, the using of U-tube cold light bulbs becomes a new
interesting alternative experience (to be compulsory in the near
future). But they are odd-shaped, difficult to clean, and less shiny
under conventional light shades. Fibres from plants and textiles,
as well as recycled Kraft paper bags, make exciting materials for
decoration. Pulps of those composites allow inkjet and laser printing and engraving; so that, it is very easy to create a different type
of lamp at a low cost, having advantages in both: simplicity and
green credentials.
SESSION
5
Michael Carus
KEYNOTE.
Managing Director of
nova-Institute of Ecology and
Innovation, Germany
Market Overview: Modern industrial applications
of natural fibres
Michael Carus studied physics at the University of Cologne.
Following his studies he worked as a scientific staff member for
nuclear energy and environment at the University of Tuebingen,
as a scientific journalist for different professional magazines
(environment and technology), at the KATALYSE-Umweltinstitut
in Cologne (environment and resources), for the US company
Tektronix GmbH in Cologne (IT system management) as well as
for the company Flachglas Solartechnik GmbH in Cologne (solar
power plants) until founding the nova-Institut GmbH with other
scientists in 1994.
Since its foundation, Michael Carus, together with Dirk Schubert,
is the managing director of the nova-Institut and is head of
the field ‘Renewable resources and market research’ with its
•••
NATURAL
COMPOSITES
APPLICATIONS
Session Chair:
three departments:

Economy & resource management

Biomaterials

Print, IT, congress and event management
Today, Michael Carus is considered to be one of the leading
experts and market researchers in Europe for agricultural
PROFESSOR AMAR
MOHNATY
resources, bioenergy and especially for the material/industrial
Director of Bioproducts
Discovery and
Development Centre
(BDDC), University
of Guelph, Ontario,
Canada
networks in the fields of agricultural and forestry resources,
use of renewable resources. He is actively involved in building
biomaterials (bioplastics, natural fibre reinforced plastics,
WPC and other innovative wooden materials) and industrial
biotechnology/biorefinery. Mr. Carus is a member (partly in
leading functions as managing director or advisor) in many
societies, associations and international organisations.
Use of natural fibres in modern industrial applications like
automotive, construction, insulation, furnitiure, consumer goods
and pulp & paper. Market data (volume, prices) from different
studies between 2005 and 2009 including domestic (hemp, flax,
nettle) and exotic (Jute, Kenaf, Sisal, Abaca, Coir). Natural fibres
reinforced plastics (NFRP) are produced in different technologies
like compressing moulding, extrusion, injection moulding. Basic
facts on properties and competition.
Examples: Pictures of many different NFRP which are already
produced and introduced in the market, some examples of well
established products. Also insulation and construction products
are shown.
Environment: Ecological benefits of the use of natural fibre
products substituting fibre glass
Trends: Trends in insulation and construction and recent trends
in NFRP. Further improvement of compressing moulding, more
flexible and complex. Last bottlenecks concerning granule production
for injection moulding, Other technologies. New market strategies
for green / bio-based products, NFRP with bioplastic matrix,
certification by c12/c14-method.
Price developments of natural fibres compared to other natural
and fossile ressources.
Potential: Potential markets and applications for NFRP and other
natural fibre products depending mainly on oil price, technical
development and political framework
A story about grass. The production of grass-fibre
based products in a biorefinery context
Hemp: a novel material for use in the
friction industry?
Coir fibre reinforced bio-composite
concrete panels for low cost housing
G O’Malley: BioRefinery Ireland, Newport, Co Mayo, Ireland.
W Newby, M Sloan and KE Evans, School of Engineering, University of Exeter,
Exeter, Devon, UK
M Sivaraja and R Saravanan: Kongu Engineering College, India
Tel: +353 87 2228625  [email protected]  w: biorefinery.ie
[email protected]  Tel: +44 (0)1392 263667
1 Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering, Kongu Engineering College,
Erode, India
[email protected]
2 Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering, Mailam Engineering College,
Viluppuram, India
Mr George O’Malley, CEO of BioRefinery Ireland, holds an Hons
Will Newby graduated in 2008 with an MEng in Mechanical
Dr.M.Sivaraja was born on May 03rd 1974 at Erode, Tamilnadu,
B.Sc having majored in pure mathematics. His involvement in
Engineering. He is part of the research team at Exeter Advanced
INDIA. He completed his B.E degree in Civil Engineering
biorefining began with the EC Fifth Framework Programme and
Technologies research group within the School of Engineering,
from Madurai Kamaraj University, India during 1995. He was
he is generally credited as being the first in Ireland to recognise
Mathematics and Physical Sciences at the University of
the Gold Medalist in his M.E Structural Engineering from
and promote the importance of biorefining as a sustainable
Exeter.He is currently the lead researcher on the TSB funded
Government College of Engineering, Salem, India during 2001.
means of providing society’s future needs for fuel, biochemicals
ECOBRAKE project.
He completed his Doctoral program (Ph.D) in Civil Engineering
and materials.
BioRefinery Ireland has adanced plans to establish biorefineries
in Ireland and the UK focussing primarily on grass. BioRefinery
Ireland has a well established network of industry and academic
partners throughout Europe. Mr O’Malley is one of four
industry directors of an Irish government initiative to establish a
(Concrete Composites) during 2008 from Anna University, India.
ECOBRAKE is investigating the development of friction linings
from environmentally friendly materials; in particular, hemp
fibres and a resin derived from Cashew Nut Shell Liquid. The
technical approach used to develop the new friction materials
has encompassed mechanical, thermal and rheological
competence centre focussing on bioenergy and biorefining.
characterization techniques.
The possibility of using grass as a feedstock for biorefining is
only recently being realised. For Europe and beyond it offers real
possibilities for the sustainable co-production of energy, feed,
chemicals and materials. In particular the fibre fraction of grass
has many applications from its use as a horticultural substrate
substituting for rockwool, to insulation, packaging and automotiveacoustic applications.
Commercially available hemp fibres and a Cashew Nut Shell Liquid
(CNSL) resin have been used to produce friction materials for rail
applications using a novel, low-energy manufacturing process. This
work examines the effect of hemp fibre content on the mechanical
properties and friction and wear performance of rail brake pads.
Grassland agronomy, management and supply chain logistics
are advanced. Cultivation demands are minimised, carbon
sequestration is significant and biodiversity conservation is
provided for.
He completed his post doctoral research work at Composite
materials Lab, University at Buffalo, The State University of New
York, USA under Dr. Deborah.L.Chung during 2009.
He is having 4 years of industrial experience and 10 years of
teaching experience. Now he has been working as Assistant
Professor in Civil Engineering, Kongu Engineering College,
Erode, Tamilnadu, India. He has done many consultancy and
testing works for various industries in the area of Materials,
Concrete Technology, Soil and Foundation Engineering and
Surveying etc., His area of interests are Natural Fibre Reinforced
Composites, Disaster Resistant Structures, Structural Health
Monitoring, Multifunctional Cement Based Smart Materials etc.
Conventional methods using in-situ techniques are found to be
economical and more practical for low cost housing of slums
which generally consists of low rise structures. Here bio composite
pre-cast concrete panels for roofing and walls are developed.
Bio-composites are sandwiched in between the concrete layers.
The sandwich may be either in a single layer or double layers.
SESSION
6
Professor
Callum Hill
Centre for Timber Engineering,
Edinburgh Napier University
Callum Hill graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in
Chemistry from the University of Bristol in 1977. After working
as a technician at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, he then took a post
as a research officer in the School of Materials Science at the
University of Bath working on the degradation of PVC. He then
went to Bristol Polytechnic (now University of West of England)
where he researched the use of organic semiconductors as gas
sensors, gaining a PhD in this area in 1985.
He then spent two years at the University of Bristol working
on non-aqueous colloidal systems and then moved to Bangor
University where he studied the non-linear optical properties of
organo-metallic compounds. In 1994, he went to work in the then
School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences at Bangor University,
•••
CONSTRUCTION
APPLICATIONS
Session Chair:
JULIE SODEN
School of Art and
Design, University
of Ulster, Belfast
first as a Lecturer in Wood Science and in 2001 a Senior Lecturer
in Renewable Materials. He took up his present post of Professor
of Materials Science at the Centre for Timber Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University in 2007. Professor Hill has published
over 80 peer review papers, more than 50 conference papers,
as well as authoring a book on wood modification.
KEYNOTE.
Natural fibre reinforced composites
opportunities and challenges
In the 1930’s Aero Research Limited of Duxford developed a
cotton fibre phenol formaldehyde matrix composite, which was
subsequently developed into the flax reinforced Gordon Aerolite.
This material was used to fabricate an experimental wing spar for
a Blenheim bomber and a fuselage for a Spitfire – true ‘aerospace’
applications. However, by the late 1940’s, research into natural
fibre reinforced composites (NFRCs) had ceased, with the advent
of glass-fibre. Over the past decade or so there has been a huge
resurgence of interest in NFRCs. Early reports in the 1908s stressed
the remarkable mechanical properties of fibres such as flax, but
we have yet to see such impressive properties translate to the
composites made from these fibres.
Composites can be manufactured that exhibit good stiffness values,
but strength and in particular toughness properties are not what
would be required for performance applications. In our research in
the late 1990s we became aware that a major problem with natural
fibres was the presence of compressive defects in the cell wall.
These acted as points of weakness in the fibre, and produced stress
concentrations in the matrix leading to premature failure.
Lack of fibre pull-out in impact studies resulted in very poor
toughness properties. The fibre ends exhibited brittle fracture. These
compression defects arose not just as a result of fibre processing,
but were even found to occur within the plant when single cells
were extracted with the mildest of masceration techniques. Fibre
processing is also an area that requires extensive research, the
techniques that are in general use are not particularly advanced
technically or result in fibre damage. Natural fibres are susceptible to
moisture, which may be a problem in certain applications.
Compared to glass fibres, natural fibres do not exhibit impressive
aspect ratios, which combined with the above mentioned defects
result in rather poor reinforcing properties. What can we as a
research community do about this? A major advantage of natural
fibres is the chemical reactivity of the cell wall components. We can
exploit this to modify properties, using for example acetylation to bulk
the fibres and remove moisture loving hydroxyl sites, but much more
sophisticated chemistry can be exploited and some ideas will be
presented. Can we improve our processing and combine this with
annealing to remove the compressive defects?
We can’t change the aspect ratio, but we can deconstruct the fibres
and work with the reinforcement within the fibres – the microfibrils.
Much more attention has recently been focussed on utilising plantderived materials to form the matrix. Maybe with the right surface
chemistry we can dispense with a matrix altogether? Surely over
the next few years we will begin to see some high performance
composites derived entirely from renewable resources.
Analysis of bamboo permanent shutter
concrete slab subjected to bending for
use in hydropower structures
EH Achá and K Ghavami: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. Dept of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering. United Arab
Emirates University. United Arab Emirates P.O. Box 17555, Al-Ain, UAE
Development of strong natural fibre
composites for construction
Hemp and lime composites in
sustainable construction
M Fan, Brunel University, UK. Director, Green Nano-Cellulose and Composites
Research Centre (NRC3)
I Pritchett, Lime Technology, UK
School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, West London
UB8 3PH, UK
[email protected]  Office: +971 3 7133309  Fax: +971 3 7623158
Mobile: +971 50 2335666
e-mail: [email protected]  Tel: +441895266466
Eduardo ACHÁ, graduated in Civil Engineering at University of
Dr Mizi Fan spent the early part of his career as a University
Ian Pritchett BSc(hons) is Chairman and Technical Director of
Federal São Carlos (1999)- Brazil, Specialist in constructions
Lecturer in natural fibre and composite subjects before receiving
Lime Technology Ltd., a company dedicated to pushing the use
systems at University of Federal São Carlos (1999)- Brazil,
his PhD from the University of Wales, UK in 1994. He then
of traditional lime based building materials into the new build
Master degree in Civil Engineering (Structures area) at Pontifical
carried out research at the UK Building Research Establishment
market, as ecological alternatives to cement based products.
Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (2002)- Brazil, PhD Re-
for a period of 12 years before re-entering higher education
Ian is involved in developing low energy building materials
search student at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
as Lecturer at University of Bath and then Senior Lecturer and
through research projects at Bristol, Bath and Bradford
in Progress and consultant in numerical analysis of high risk
Head of Research of Department of Civil Engineering at Brunel
Universities. These are centred around natural soils, clay,
structures for Hydroelectric Plans.
University. In 2004 he was appointed a Visiting Professor in the
chalk and lime binders with natural aggregates and plant fibre
College of Material Science, FAF University, and for many years a
reinforcement (e.g. unfired earth blocks and Hemcrete®).
Natural fiber like date palm fiber can be used as reinforcement
material in composite. This work characterizes the Date palm fiber
–polypropylene (DPF-PP) composites. Also examine the effect
of surface treatment like alkalization on mechanical properties for
DPF-PP Composite material.
Fellow of Institute of Wood Science, IOM3.
Ian is an acknowledge expert in the field of traditional, low
He teaches all aspects of civil engineering materials, construction
energy building materials and gives numerous lectures on the
and sustainability to undergraduate and postgraduate students,
subject. Lime Technology have been involved in supplying
and his principle research interests have included fibre science
lime based materials to hundreds of new building projects
and technology (nano cellulose), wood and non-wood based
including the new Channel Tunnel Rail link Terminal at St Pancras
composites, recycling and sustainability in construction. He
Station, the new National Trust headquarters, the new Amnesty
is author, or co-author, of over one hundred and ten technical
International office, the new Adnams Brewery Distribution centre,
papers and author of two text books on natural fibre composites
the CAT WISE project, Clayfield Housing project at Elmswell for
and new products, and management, recycling and reuse of
Orwell Housing Association as well as numerous other schools
waste composites. He is currently the Technical Leader for the
and social housing schemes.
TSB funded NATCOM (Optimally Efficient Production of High
Strength Natural Fibre Composites) research programme.
NRC3 Brunel University, UK is engaged on an extensive programme
of research aiming at a better understanding of the properties of
nature fibres and composites, and establishing methods of improving
its strength and optimising its utilisations. Many important outcomes
have been achieved and this paper is an attempt to reveal the failure
mechanisms of elementary nature fibres and hence develop high
strength composites for application in construction.
UK grown industrial hemp shiv (woody core of the stalk) is being
mixed with lime based binders to make bio-composites for wall
construction with excellent thermal properties and that lock up
carbon dioxide. This offers a new way to reduce the carbon
footprint and operational energy of buildings.
SESSION
7
Microstructural and mechanical aspects of
bagasse fibre reinforced epoxy composites at
liquid nitrogen temperature
Optimisation of interfaces in biodegradable
and natural fibre composites
Characterization of date palm fiberpolypropylene composite material
A Hodzic: University of Sheffield, UK
A Alawar: United Arab Emirates University
SK Acharya1*, P Mishra 2: National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sir Frederick Mappin Building, Room
RD5c The University of Sheffield Sheffield,
S1 3JD, UK
Dept of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering. United Arab Emirates
University,
1 Asst. Professor, 2 Research Scholar Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Orissa, India
[email protected]  Tel: +971 3 7133309  Fax: +971 3 7623158
Mobile: +971 50 2335666
[email protected]
Dr S.K.Acharya is at present working as an Associate Professor
Dr Alma Hodzic is a Senior Lecturer in Department of
Ahmad Alawar was born in Alain in United Arab Emirates, on
in mechanical engineering ,NIT rourkela-769008, Orissa,
Mechanical Engineering at The University of Sheffield, UK.
May 31, 1973. He graduated from Sultan Qaboos University,
INDIA. He has published about twenty five research papers
Dr Hodzic has taught and performed research in the areas of
Muscat, 1996. He was honored a scholarship from UAE University
on composite materials on various international and national
Advanced Composite Structures, Nanocomposites, Engineering
to pursue his masters and Ph.D. Studies. He received his
journals. .He has guided about 23 ME and two PhD students.
Materials and Aircraft Design since 1997. She holds her PhD in
masters degree in mechanical engineering from University of
His current area of research is natural fiber polymer composites
Science of Engineering Materials from The Australian National
Southern California, 1999, followed by Ph.D. in Material Science
for tribological applications.
University, and BSME in Aeronautical Engineering (Dipl. Ing.)
from the same university.
from The University of Belgrade.
The present experimental investigation deals with the mechanical
behaviour of bagasse fiber reinforced epoxy composite at
cryogenic temperature. Fibers of 10, 15 and 20 Wt. % were
reinforced with epoxy matrix to prepare the composites. This
work also examines the effect of fiber treatment on mechanical
properties of epoxy laminates.
•••
MATERIAL
CHARACTERISATION
Session Chair:
AMAR MOHANTY
Director of Bioproducts
Discovery and
Development Centre
(BDDC), University of
Guelph, Ontario,
Canada
United Arab Emirates P.O. Box 17555, Al-Ain, UAE.
Dr Hodzic manages Composite Systems Innovation Centre
(CSIC) at Kroto Research Institute at Sheffield. The main
focus behind multidisciplinary projects of CSIC is to improve
the environment by replacing traditional technologies with
sustainable composite structures. Dr Hodzic is the editor,
author or co-author of over 50 peer reviewed publications and
two patents. She is currently an active Fellow of Institution of
Mechanical Engineers, Fellow of Institute of Materials, Minerals
and Mining, Member of Royal Aeronautical Society and Intreader
for Australian Research Council.
Interfaces in natural fibre composites are studied with the emphasis
of increasing the interfacial shear strength and subsequent
improvement of stiffness and strength for engineering applications.
The improvements in properties arising from the presence of
transcrystalline region, modifying agents, types of natural fibres
and various bio-matrices show that biodegradable composites
are able to match the properties of their thermoplastic synthetic
counterparts.
Currently, he is filling a position of assistant professor in the faculty
of mechanical engineering at United Arab Emirates University. His
teaching and research interests fall into the domains of Composite
Materials, Metallurgy, Creep, Natural Fiber applications and
Intelligent Design and Manufacturing. His employment experience
included Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, ADMA OPCO,
Etisalat- a Telecommunication Company, and Teaching and
research assistant at United Arab Emirates University.
Natural fiber like date palm fiber can be used as reinforcement
material in composite. This work characterizes the Date palm fiber
–polypropylene (DPF-PP) composites. Also examine the effect
of surface treatment like alkalization on mechanical properties for
DPF-PP Composite material.
Strain rate dependent properties of
natural fibres for composite materials
DA Jesson, B Di Napoli & PA Smith: University of Surrey, UK
Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,
Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
[email protected]
David Jesson: Having read Materials Science and Engineering
for my first degree, I was awarded a PhD for research on the
reinforcement of polymers and polymer matrix composites with
organically modified silica (ormosil) nano-particles. I am currently
a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey and have worked
on a variety of projects with materials ranging from cast iron to
advanced composites.
The themes that have run through this work are the characterisation
of mechanical properties and the use of statistical methods,
particularly Weibull, in order to compare the properties of
ostensibly non-similar sample sets. In addition to several long term
projects, I am establishing a body of work looking at natural fibres
for composite materials.
I am a member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
(ProfGradIMMM) and of the Institute of Physics (MInstP).
Natural fibres, particularly those which originate as waste materials
from other industries, are of interest to manufacturers as an easily
sourced material, from which a composite material could be
produced. The current work considers the mechanical properties of
one such fibre, specifically their strain rate dependency.
SESSION
8
Potential for hemp insulation in
construction sector in the UK
Properties of natural fibre reinforced concrete
E Latif 1 and S Tucker 2, University of East London, UK
M Ali, National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK), Islamabad Office,
H#O/1191-A, Mohalla HariPura, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
1
[email protected]  Tel: +92-300-5148037
School of Computing, Information Technology and Engineering,
University of East London, Docklands Campus, UK
Effect of animal fibres reinforcement on stabilized
earth mechanical properties
C Galán-Marín and C Rivera-Gómez, Departamento Construcciones Arquitectónicas
I. University of Seville. Avda. Reina Mercedes 2, Seville 41005, Spain
[email protected]  Tel: 0034-954556591
[email protected]  Tel: 01633668545.
2
Graduate School of Environment, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK
[email protected]  Tel: 01654703065 ext 24
Eshrar Latif is currently doing his MPhil/PhD on ‘Potential for bio-
Majid Ali completed his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with
Carmen Galán-Marín: Assistant Professor of the Department
based insulation in the UK’ in UEL in collaboration with the Centre
honours in 2004 and master’s degree with first position in 2006
of Building Technology of the Escuela Técnica Superior de
for Alternative Technology. He is also involved in the project on
with specialization in structural engineering from the University of
Arquitectura of the University of Seville (Spain). Entitled as
‘Energy efficient bio-based natural fibre insulation’ (2008-2011)
Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan. He was awarded
architect in 1995, she has specialized in new materials and
with Bio-Composites Centre Bangor University, University of East
Crescent Gold Medal for the best performance in bachelor’s
technologies applied in architecture and construction. She
London and others.
final year examinations. He joined National Engineering Services
has formerly developed research on polyester composites and
Pakistan (NESPAK), one of the leading consultant organizations
moved later to bio-composites and earth construction. Focused
of Pakistan, as a structural engineer in 2004. His duties were
on the applications of new materials for prefabrication and
the structural designing of RCC buildings (institutions, schools,
evaluation of prototypes is currently the Director of construction
colleges, hospitals, and flats etc) and some infrastructure
research for the University of Seville team for solar decathlon
structures (water tower, underground water tanks, retaining walls
competition 2010 (to design, build, and operate the most
etc) with the help of StaadPro, Microsoft excel, AutoCAD and
attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house).
He has an MSC in ‘Planning Practice and Research’, an MSc
in ‘Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies’
a professional BArch. He has six years’ experience in varieties
of architectural projects including residential design, extensions,
restaurant conversions and refurbishments. At present, he is also
participating in a certificate programme on ‘A Systems Approach
to Product and Service Design’ at Cornell University in New York.
•••
CONSTRUCTION
APPLICATIONS
continued..
Hemp based thermal insulation has the potential to reduce
CO2 emissions from buildings and to be ‘carbon-negative’ in its
production and manufacture’. The environmental and functional
performance of hemp insulation can be improved in several ways
and this paper describes work on these aspects.
Etaab/SAP. He also worked on international projects (Supported
by the Government of Pakistan).
During his employment in NESPAK, he was offered a regular
international conferences and made various publications in
books and journals. Member since 1999 of AEMAC (Spanish
employment in 2005, Honorarium for the year 2005- 2006,
Association for composite materials).
Accelerated Promotion in 2007 and Letter of Appreciation for the
She has been visiting professor at Germany (Hanover University),
year 2007-2008. His interest developed on the use of natural fibres
Session Chair:
in concrete in early 2008. His first publication “Natural fibres as
PROFESSOR
CALLUM HILL
The young researcher aims to introduce natural fibres reinforced
Centre for Timber
Engineering, Edinburgh
Napier University
She has presented several papers and contributions in
construction materials” was published recently in NOCMAT 2009.
concrete as a constructional material for structural members in
earthquake prone areas.
the Netherlands (Faculty of Building and Architecture of
Eindhoven) and Great Britain (South Bank Polytechnic of
London and University of Strathclyde – Glasgow). She has
undertaken various stays for studies abroad in the University of
Porto (Portugal), Politecnico di Milano (Italy), the Department of
Architecture and Planning, Queen´s University of Belfast (United
Kingdom) and the University of Krakow
This paper presents the literature review, about the properties of
natural fibre reinforced concrete (NFRC). The aim of this review is
to compile the available data of different NFRCs evaluated in last
few decades, and thus, it can be used as a reference/guideline for
upcoming research for a particular NFRC.
Wool - a natural animal fibre available in abundance but no longer
widely used in local textile industry has been used to improve earth
construction. This work examines the feasibility of using this animal
fibre in conjunction with a soil matrix to produce a composite
material suitable for wet climatic conditions.
High integrity joints for sisal-epoxy composites
MP Ansell, C Gonzalez Murillo, M Fagan and M Thomson: University of Bath, UK
BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, Department of Mechanical
Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
[email protected]  Tel: 01225 386432
Martin is Reader in Materials in the Department of Mechanical
Engineering at the University of Bath and Deputy Director of
the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials. He has
published extensively on the structure-related properties of
cellulosic materials and is well known for his work on the fatigue
of laminated wood for wind turbine blades and bonded-in
connection technology for timber.
His first paper on natural fibre composites was published in
1983 (http://staff.bath.ac.uk/mssmpa/) and research is focussed
on high fibre volume fraction composites in thermosetting and
thermoplastic matrices. Recent publications are concerned with
the fatigue of sisal-epoxy composites, the design of co-cured
joints for natural fibre composites and a study of interfacial
bonding in sisal-PLA matrix composites. Martin is a past-president
of the Institute of Wood Science and is a Fellow of IoM3.
The paper is concerned with the evaluation of jointing techniques
for high volume fraction natural fibre composites based on well
aligned sisal fibres in an epoxy matrix. In-line and moment-resisting
joints were manufactured by hot pressing and high integrity joints
were formed with applications in the automotive and construction
industries.
KEYNOTE.
Company Founder and CEO,
Ecofibre, Australia
Hemp growing and processing innovation
in Australia
SESSION
9
Phil Warner
Born in 1952 in Western QLD and grew up on a farm until 1972
when his family were forced off the land due to droughts and low
commodity prices. Phil became involved in the Australian film
Industry and his career flourished for the next 20 years, culminating
in his becoming a Producer on International Co-Productions
finding suitable scripts and the finance to make them. At 45 he
decided that living abroad on and off for 15 years was enough.
Philip decided to go back to his roots and embarked on a mission
to find and develop agricultural products that would achieve,
regional employment and value adding industries and sustainable
consumer products for the future.
For the past 14 years Philip has worked on developing the Bast
fibres in Australia including Flax, Kenaf, Sunn Hemp and Industrial
•••
FIBRE
EXTRACTION
Session Chair:
SALUM SHAMTE
London Sisal
Association/Managing
Director, Katani Limited,
Tanzania
Hemp. In that time he has overseen the development of new
Hemp varieties that would be viable in Subtropical and Tropical
Region and has developed models for co-operative farming
systems - new processing systems and markets for all bast fibres
crops and been at the forefront of the introduction of introducing
a number of natural fibre-related products. Philip’s contacts and
depth of knowledge of this industry, its politics, business and
technical capabilities nationally and internationally, is unique
in Australia.
The aim of this paper is to outline ways in which one might achieve
a 25%-30% reduction in market price across the board, increase
supply chain profits and increase the volume of supply to meet
potential demand.
The hemp fibre industry will succeed or fail on its ability to provide a
constant supply of consistent quality fibre and hurd at a competitive
price. While the technical attributes of both hemp outer long bast
fibre and inner short fibre (hurd or shive) are considerable, some end
use manufacturers are reluctant to develop products that benefit
from those attributes because there is no guarantee of sufficient or
expanding supply or a competitive price.
There are many sectors in present farm-to-finished product value
chain that have both inefficiency and waste. The following approach
is designed to reduce those inefficiencies but maintain or increase
the profit within each sector. Obviously a company with the
appropriate technology will stand to benefit by maintaining/increasing
profits and increased volume of production. This is where the
Greatest Opportunity Exists.
Therefore, the aim of this paper is to outline ways in which one might
achieve a 25%-30% reduction in market price across the board,
increase supply chain profits and increase the volume of supply to
meet potential demand.
For example, the present world price for grade 2 fibre (suitable for
non-woven textiles) set by European production, is 20% higher in
price than most other similar fibres. If the price of grade 2 hemp fibre
was 20%-25% less than the present world price and a consistent
quality and supply assured, manufacturers could focus their
processing and product development on the utilisation of hemp fibres
unique characteristics resulting in increased efficiency and further
cost savings to the manufacturer.
Areas capable of greater efficiencies exist across the entire value
chain, potential targets are;
For every unit of demand for fibre one must grow, harvest, transport,
process, store and sell four (4) units of hurd. In simple terms four
fifths (80%) of the time, labour and energy is expended on the Hurd.
Therefore it is crucial that markets and products are developed to
utilise the hurd, and at a level that are relative, in volume, to the
consumption of the outer long fibre. The key to a successful industry
is how one manages and profits from the hurd and not just the fibre.
4. 25% Lower cost of Stage 1 processing “classification” of
raw materials.
1. 12% Lower cost of raw material by achieving a 20% higher
crop yield.
2. 15% Higher proportion of fibre to hurd ratio in plant genetics.
3. 30% Lower cost of production in harvesting and handling to
mill and
Before I go into these 4 points in detail I will give some background
into both the Hurd and Fibre pricing and production.
Extraction methods for new zealand
indigenous fibres
Use of fibre obtained from banana tree as
reinforcement of polyethylene matrix
N Hati, ALP Rickard & A Keyte-Beattie: Scion, New Zealand
Z Ortega, AN Benítez, MD Monzón, P Hernández, I Angulo & MD Marrero:
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Scion, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3046, New Zealand
[email protected]  el: +64 7 343 5899
Edificio de Fabricación Integrada, Parque Científico Tecnológico, Universidad
de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tafira Baja, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
35017 (Spain)
[email protected]  Tel: (00) 34 928 45 86 18
Nancy Hati is a Scientist in the Wood and Biofibre Technologies
Zaida Ortega is a Chemical Engineer of Las Palmas de Gran
team at Scion in Rotorua, New Zealand where she has worked for
Canaria University (Spain). Last year she has started her PhD
2 and a half years. While at Scion she has worked on improving
studies at the same university. She has been working in “Procesos
mechanical properties of wood reinforced biopolymers, modifying
de Fabricación” (Manufacturing Processes) research group for
resin application technologies for the MDF (Medium Density
the last two years. This group has two main research areas: rapid
Fibreboard) industry and visualisation techniques regarding resin
prototyping and new materials development, and supplies also
adhesive distribution on fibres and within MDF boards.
services to local companies. This group is formed by a number of
Mechanical and Chemical Engineers and some Industrial Designers
Nancy has always had an interest in Matauranga Maori (traditional
too. The group is involved in several research projects; one of
knowledge of the indigenous people of New Zealand) regarding the
these projects is Badana’s project, entitled “Development of an
use of indigenous plant leaves and fibres such as Harakeke (New
automated process to extract the fibres from the waste of banana
Zealand Flax, Phormium tenax). It was this interest that inspires
food production for exploitation as a sustainable reinforcement in
her current project of researching alternative indigenous fibres.
injection – and rotomoulded products”, financed by the Seventh
Fibres that were valued by traditional Maori for customary use in
Framework of the European Union, and that started on July 1st.
ropes, bindings, basketry and mat work and examining whether
However, this research group have had some experiences before
the properties that the plants were valued for are suitable for future
starting this project, for about one year.
application. Her research extends into understanding protocols
and sensitivities when working with Maori people and registering
proper acknowledgement of cultural input.
In this work different chemical treatments have been applied to
banana tree fibre to improve the fibre-plastic matrix compatibility.
Mechanical properties of the composite have been tested.
Fibre-based composites are more eco-friendly and demonstrate
competitive performance when compared to petroleum-based
composites. This research compares an alkali and a traditional
Maori method of extracting fibres to determine microstructure, lignin
and mechanical properties of the fibres. Cordyline australis and
Freycinettia banksii fibres produced the best results for composite
manufacture.
SESSION
10
J Wolodko (left),
W Chute, L McIlveen,
K Alemaskin, A Fuhr
and H Rho
Composites Group at the Alberta Research Council in
Edmonton, Canada. His areas of expertise include advanced
materials; mechanical & structural testing; polymer processing;
product design; and failure analysis. Prior to joining the Alberta
Research Council, he was a Senior Research Engineer with
the Centre for Engineering Research, and has worked in both
academia and as a consulting engineer in the oil & gas, pipeline
and construction sectors. Dr. Wolodko also holds an adjunct
professor position in the Department of Chemical and Materials
Engineering at the University of Alberta.
NATURAL
COMPOSITES
INDUSTRIAL
APPLICATIONS
Session Chair:
DR JOHN WILLIAMS
Head of Polymers and
Materials, NNFCC, UK
Industrial hemp in composite material applications and
overview of natural fibres activities in western canada
from a research and government perspective
Advanced Materials Business
Unit, Alberta Research Council,
Edmonton, AB, Canada
Dr. John Wolodko is Program Leader of the Polymers &
•••
KEYNOTE.
This paper outlines the use of hemp bast fibres in a variety of
composite material applications including reinforced thermoplastic
polymers, reinforced thermosetting polymers, and reinforced cement
materials. In addition, a novel, cost effective method for decorticating
industrial hemp is highlighted.
Industrial hemp (cannabis sativa) has significant potential as a
reinforcing fibre in composite applications due to its good mechanical
properties, light weight and environmental benefits. This paper
outlines the use of hemp bast fibres in a variety of composite material
systems including reinforced thermoplastic polymers, reinforced
thermosetting polymers, and reinforced cement materials. In addition
to characterizing the relative mechanical performance of these
materials, this paper highlights a novel, cost effective method for
decorticating industrial hemp feedstocks based on chopping, milling
and screening methods. Characteristics of the resulting fibres
processed are discussed.
New future and perspectives for natural fibres in
high level technology industries and the effects on
producing poverty alleviation
W Andrade, Sindifibras, Brazil
[email protected]  www.brazilianfibres.com.br
Tel: (55 71) 3241 7499  M: (55 71) 8801 3000
Hemp fibre circular tubes for structural applications
BT Weclawski and M Fan: Brunel University, UK
1
School of Engineering and Materials Science, Centre for Materials Research,
Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
2
Menzolit Ltd, Lancs. OL14 6EG, UK
3
School of Engineering, Brunel University, Oxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
4
NorthWest Composites Centre, University of Manchester, M60 1QD, UK
5
School of Aerospace, Automotive and Design Engineering,
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
Tel: 44 (0) 1707 28 1075  [email protected]
Alain Bourmaud was born at Nantes, France, on February, 4,
Dr Ren is a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering and
The use of natural fibres as reinforcement in polymer composites
1969. He’s research engineer in Material Engineering Laboratory of
Technology, University of Hertfordshire (UH). Ren’s expertise
has generated much interest in recent years due to implementation
Brittany (LIMATB) in Lorient, France. This laboratory is specialized in
covers composite and functional nanomaterials in the application
of environmental legislation and improvements on natural fibre
elaboration and characterisation of biocomposites. Specific methods
fields of energy, transportation and healthcare. His grants
performance and process-abilities. This research investigated the use
have been developed in LIMATB in order to determine mechanical
awarded during the past 8 years are about £500K. Ren’s first
of natural hemp fibre as reinforcement for producing fibre reinforced
properties of single vegetal fibres and to evidence fibre-matrix
degree (1983) is in organic chemical engineeringing in China
Sheet Moulding Composites or Compounds (SMC) as an alternative
interfaces properties of biocomposites.
and worked for PetroChina Oil Resaerch Institute and Beijing
to glass fibre in an industrial scale application which ranging from
FRP R&D Institute before He came to QMUL as an academic
building construction, automotive, to aerospace. The work shows that
visitor in 1993 with British Council SBSF award working fibre
the natural hemp fibre SMC (H-SMC) achieved equivalent level of the
reinforced polymer composites for improving mechanical and
mechanical properties of the glass fibre SMC.
Alain Bourmaud has obtained a master specialized in polymer
engineering at the Jean Monet University, Saint-Etienne, France
in 1993. Actually, his main research topic is the knowledge of
mechanical behaviour of vegetal fibres and more especially flax
fibres. These researches are carried out by using nanoindentation,
tensile tests on single fibres and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Alain Bourmaud is specialized in nanoindentation on polymers and
vegetal fibres. He has written or co- written around 10 papers in
international reviews during the last 4 years.
For 1 year, Alain Bourmaud is studying for a PhD on the knowledge
of mechanical behaviour of flax fibres.
Nanoindentation tests have been performed on flax fibers sections in
order to study the influence of retting, enzymatic treatment and location
of the fibers into the stem on mechanical properties. The first results
evidence the interest of nanoindentation but highlight some questions
linked to the specific structure of fibers.
fire performance. His PhD (QM, 94-97) was on fibre reinforced
ceramic silicates composites.
He was RA on a number of projects sponsored by Industry,
EPSRC, BAe in polymer, ceramic composite materials for fire
barrier and high temperature aerospace mould systems. He
worked at QM during 01-08 as a Senior Overseas Tutor & Senior
Research Fellow until Jan 08. Ren’s current interests include
composites (rotor blades, fire resistant materials and LLW
mateial management); natural fibre composites; absorption of
electromagnetic waves/radiation for concealed weapon detections;
antimicrobial nanomaterials for fabrics and medical devices;
petrochemicals savings through nanoaditives. His recent EPSRC
grant was on natural fibre surface treatment for better applications
in aerospace, automotive and building constructions.
SESSION
11
Wetting behaviour and surface energy
of coconut (coir) fibres
LQN Tran, CA Fuentes, C Dupont1, AW Van Vuure, & I Verpoest: Katholieke
Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (MTM), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Email:
[email protected], tel +32-16-321448
1 Unité de Chimie des Interfaces, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du
Sud 2/18, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve,Belgium
London Sisal
Association/Managing
Director, Katani Limited,
Tanzania
Laboratoire Ingénierie des Matériaux de Bretagne (LIMATB),
Université de Bretagne Sud, Rue de Saint Maudé, BP 92116, 56321
Lorient Cedex, France.
2
UMR 6037 CNRS/IFR-MP 23, Université de Rouen, Aignan, France.
[email protected]  00 (33) 02 97 87 45 05
Bartosz Weclawski holds a master degree in structural materials
1969. He’s research engineer in Material Engineering Laboratory of
and biomaterials from Gdansk University of technology. In 2007
City University of Technology, Vietnam; then Master degree
Brittany (LIMATB) in Lorient, France. This laboratory is specialized
he took part in a project at the Institut de Chimie de la Matière
in Materials Engineering from Katholike Univesitiet Leuven –
in elaboration and characterisation of biocomposites. Specific
Condensée de Bordeaux aimed at development of more economic
Belgium in 2004.
methods have been developed in LIMATB in order to determine
processing route for silicate carbide filaments reinforced titanium
mechanical properties of single vegetal fibres and to evidence
composites for aerospace applications. Since 2008 Bartosz
fibre-matrix interfaces properties of biocomposites.
started PhD research at Brunel University, aiming at improvement
some research projects such as: ‘Vietnamese natural fibres for
Alain Bourmaud has obtained a master specialized in polymer
construction materials’, ‘Research and development of polymer
engineering at the Jean Monet University, Saint-Etienne, France
composites based on natural fibres’…
in 1993. Actually, his main research topic is the knowledge of
Composite Materials Group of Katholike Univesitiet Leuven.
SALUM SHAMTE
1
BT Weclawski and M Fan: Brunel University, UK
Civil Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Design, Brunel
University, West London, UB8 3PH, UK.
Alain Bourmaud was born at Nantes, France, on February, 4,
Since 2008, he has been working as PhD researcher in the
Session Chair:
A Bourmaud, 2C Morvan & 1C Baley: LIMATB Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des
MATériaux de Bretagne Equipe Polymères, France
Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from HoChiMinh
researcher at Cantho University – Vietnam. He had worked for
FIBRE
PROPERTIES
1
Hemp fibre circular tubes for
structural applications
Ngoc Tran was born in Cantho City, Vietnam. He earned his
Ngoc has spent 4 years woking as assitant lecturer and
•••
Nanoindentation contribution to mechanical
characterization of vegetal fibers
His research topic focuses on ‘Polymer Composites based on
Coconut Fibres’
mechanical behaviour of vegetal fibres and more especially flax
fibres. These researches are carried out by using nanoindentation,
tensile tests on single fibres and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Alain Bourmaud is specialized in nanoindentation on polymers and
vegetal fibres. He has written or co- written around 10 papers in
international reviews during the last 4 years.
Wetting behaviour of coconut fibres is studied by contact angle and
sorption measurements using the Wilhelmy technique. The dynamic
contact angle is investigated at different immersion speeds. Besides,
water sorption of the fibre is studied to determine its effect on the
contact angle measurement. From the contact angle of coconut fibre
with different probe liquids, the surface energy is calculated.
For 1 year, Alain Bourmaud is studying for a PhD on the knowledge
of mechanical behaviour of flax fibres.
Nanoindentation tests have been performed on flax fibers sections
in order to study the influence of retting, enzymatic treatment and
location of the fibers into the stem on mechanical properties. The first
results evidence the interest of nanoindentation but highlight some
questions linked to the specific structure of fibers.
of natural fibres reinforced composites. At the moment he is
focusing on hemp fibres reinforcing biocomposites as a prospectus
durable and load bearing material. His interests are composites,
biomaterials, their structural design and processing.
A comprehensive programme has been carried out to develop
novel natural fibre circular tubes. A series of 3-D products
have been manufactured by using the developed processing
technologies and characterised to establish correlations
between the processing and parameters of raw material and the
performance of final composite products.
Molecular and cell biological analysis of
natural plant fibres
JP Knox: University of Leeds, UK
Centre for Plant Sciences, Biological Sciences, University of Leeds,
Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
[email protected]
Paul Knox is professor of plant cell biology in the Centre for Plant
Sciences at the University of Leeds. He has long term interests in
plant physiology and biochemistry and particularly the structures
and functions of plant cell walls in relation to both plant growth
and development and also in relation to their importance for
food and fibres. His main research strategy is the generation and
use of molecular probes (including monoclonal antibodies and
carbohydrate-binding modules) to detect cell wall polysaccharides
in situ in plant materials including fibres using a range of
microscopy procedures.
In the context of plant-derived fibres the areas of studies include
understanding how the polysaccharide components of fibre cells
(celluloses, hemicelluloses and pectins) impact upon final fibre
properties and also the identification of polymers that bind bast
fibres, such as those obtained from hemp and flax, into stem
tissues. This latter research is aimed at developing improved
procedures for fibre isolation.
Widely used plant fibres are plant cells with thick secondary cell
walls. We are interested in the polysaccharide composition of
natural plant fibres from the perspective of plant cell walls. We are
developing cell biological methods to determine the structurefunction relationships of fibres and their component polysaccharides
in the context of their use as textiles and other materials.
SESSION
12
Development of aligned natural fibre-reinforced
thermoplastic biocomposite materials for highperformance applications
BIOCOMPOSITE
APPLICATIONS
Session Chair:
DR JOHN WILLIAMS
Head of Polymers and
Materials, NNFCC, UK
T Peijs, N Soykeabkaew & R Arevalo: Queen Mary University of London, UK
The utilisation of waste fibres for
industrial applications
Queen Mary University of London, Department of Materials, Mile End Road,
E1 4NS London, UK, e-mail: [email protected], Phone: 0044-7882-8865.
Fax: +44(0)207 882 3390
RM Elias: BioComposites Centre, Bangor University, UK
Brendon Weager is the Technical Manager at NetComposites.
Ton Peijs is a Professor of Materials at Queen Mary University of
Rob Elias is a commercial manager at the BioComposites Centre
He has 5 years experience of developing biocomposite materials
London (QMUL) and a part-time professor at Eindhoven University
and has a major interest in the development of bio-derived
and has been involved in a number of UK and European
of Technology (Netherlands). TP’s research interests are in all
materials that reduce global warming potential. He has an industrial
projects in this area, including managing the COMBINE UK TSB
aspects of structure-processing-property relationships of polymer
and academic background in natural fibre production. His expertise
project. In 2004, he gained a PhD in Mechanical Engineering
composites. His group has made notable contributions to the
includes biocomposite production, biomass extraction/ chemical
from University of Nottingham, UK, where the subject of his
development of eco-composites; this includes work on natural fibre
composition and product development. To help companies
research was thermoplastic composite-metal laminates for
composites and the development of fully recyclable all-polymer
develop new bioderived technologies Rob set up and established
automotive body structures. Previously, he has worked as an
composites such as PURE® and Tegris® now commercialised by
the BC’s Technology Transfer Centre on Anglesey. Using the
engineer for Ford Motor Company in product development and
Lankhorst Pure-Composites and its licensee by Milliken.
pilot scale facilities at the Tech Transfer Centre companies can
BM Weager, EL Arnold & GR Bishop: NetComposites Ltd, UK
NetComposites Ltd, 4A Broom Business Park, Bridge Way, Chesterfield,
S41 9QG, UK, email [email protected], phone +44 (0)1246
266244
manufacturing.
•••
All-cellulose composites
A new family of high-performance natural fibre-reinforced
thermoplastic composite materials have been developed during
a recent UK collaborative project called COMBINE. This paper
summarises the results of the project including the materials
development, processing methods, testing, recycling and the
development of three case study parts.
In recent years, the group’s work has focused on the utilization
[email protected].  Tel 01248 388599
demonstrate their ideas by developing prototype materials.
of nano-scale architectures in polymer composites, the creation
Rob currently manages 4 TSB projects working with companies
of high-performance fibres, intelligent fibres and films for sensors
to develop new packaging materials and construction products.
applications and smart textiles, and the development of novel
His current research interests include biorefining, the production
composite materials based on renewable resources. TP is head
of bioplastic products, extraction of value added molecules from
of the Centre for Materials Research (CMR) at QMUL and director
plant materials, utilisation of wastes and the use of agricultural co-
of Nanoforce Technology Ltd a spin-out company, wholly-owned
products for fibre applications.
by QMUL devoted to nanocomposites research for exploitation by
industry. His contact e-mail address is [email protected]
There are increasing opportunities to develop products from waste
natural fibres. This paper will focus on recent R&D into the use and
This paper describes two lines of research for the creation of
self-reinforced composites based entirely on cellulose. In the first
approach the surface layer of cellulose fibres is partially dissolved
to form the matrix phase of an all-cellulose composite. A second
approach exploits the potential of hydrogen bonding between
cellulose fibres to bond fibres together into fully recyclable panel
products without the need of any resin or matrix.
development of waste MDF fibres for applications in MDF, insulation
materials and wood plastic composites. The work was part of a
WRAP funded project completed in 2007.
The Use of Raman Spectroscopy to Follow Interfaces
in Natural Fibre Composites
SJ Eichhorn: University of Manchester, UK
Materials Science Centre, School of Materials and Northwest Composites
Centre, Grosvenor Street, University of Manchester, UK e-mail : s.j.eichhorn@
manchester.ac.uk, Phone: 0161 306 5982
Steve Eichhorn graduated in Physics from the University of
Leeds in 1993 and subsequently completed a Masters degree in
Paper and Forestry Industries Technology at Bangor and UMIST
in 1994/5. He then went on to do a PhD degree, graduating
in 1999 on the subject of the “Deformation Micromechanics of
Regenerated Cellulose Fibres”. His academic appointments have
been as a temporary Lecturer in the Department of Paper Science
(then separate from the School of Materials) in 1997-8 and as a
Visiting Research Scientist from 1998-1999. After this period he
went to work under the supervision of Professor Bob Young as a
postdoctoral research associate (1999-2002) and was appointed
as a Lecturer in the Materials Science Centre in 2002 and is
now Reader.
His research interests are at the interface between natural and
biomaterials research with particular emphasis on cellulosic
materials and composites. Dr Eichhorn has particular expertise
in the use of Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron x-ray diffraction
and molecular dynamics/mechanics modelling of polymeric
materials. He is a member of the ACS Cellulose and Renewable
Materials division, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society
of Chemistry. He is also the Program Chair for the Cellulose and
Renewable Materials Division of the American Chemical Society.
The use of Raman spectroscopy to follow the local stress state
in natural fibres (both nanosized and micron-sized) in composite
materials will be presented. This technique will be shown to
assist greatly in the validation of theories of adhesion, and is
also a quantitative approach to assessing the local deformation
mechanisms in natural fibre composites.
SESSION
13
SESSION CHAIR
Paula Brazier
Managing Director, Wigglesworth
& Co Ltd, Vice Chairman of the
London Sisal Association, 1st
Vice Chairperson of the UN-FAO
Intergovernmental Group on Hard
Fibres
Paula Brazier, after leaving University College London where she
studied Economics and Geography and obtained a BSc (Econ)
Hons, joined the long established Natural fibre specialists –
Wigglesworth & Co Ltd. based in London, this was in 1977.
Wigglesworth had been founded in 1895 by Alfred Wigglesworth,
initially specialising in flax from Italy and phormium tenax from New
Zealand. The company’s first involvement with sisal fibre in East
Africa started in the early 1900’s and this relationship has endured
until the present day with close ties with the largest producer of sisal
fibre – REA Vipingo Plantations Ltd based in Nairobi as well as of
the other important producers in East Africa, Madagascar and in
Brazil. The company has since spread its areas of involvement in
natural vegetable fibres to include Abaca, Jute, Hemp and Coir fibres
and also the semi processed products and the final products as
increasingly these are being manufactured in the producer countries
•••
SISAL
ECONOMICS
AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES
Session Chair:
PAULA BRAZIER
Managing Director,
Wigglesworth & Co Ltd,
During her many years at Wigglesworth & Co Ltd, Paula has had
the opportunity to visit all of the major sisal producing countries,
Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Mozambique, Mexico,
Brazil, China and even areas of Taiwan and Indonesia and on the
consuming side of the business - most of the wide variety of
companies who are consuming regular quantities of sisal fibre – for
paper, composite materials, carpets and mats, sisal polishing cloth,
wire rope cores, packing twines, agricultural twines, in construction ,
in plaster mouldings, sisal dart boards, bath and exfoliation products,
handicrafts like handbags to mention but a few. In the Abaca
business the same would apply, also in flax and coir fibres. This
background information has been essential in enabling Wigglesworth
to assist companies to develop new areas of use for all of these
fibres. It is a constantly changing picture and Wigglesworth plays an
important role in this niche business.
Paula was appointed a Director of the company in the early 2000’s
and in 2006 Managing Director. She continues to play an important
part in the development of new areas for all the natural fibres that the
company is actively involved with. She would welcome any questions
relating to these fibres.
Salum Shamte (left)
KEYNOTE.
London Sisal Association/ Managing
Director, Katani Limited, Tanzania
The economic significance and contribution
to poverty reduction of sisal production and
utilisation in Tanzania
Salum Shamte is one of the leading authorities in the sisal
industry in the world. He is from Tanzania. He is the Managing
Director of Katani Limited –a private company dedicated to the
development of the sisal industry.
Salum Shamte did his first degree in 1974 in Commerce in
Kenya. He acquired his second degree in Business in the USA
in 1979. He joined the Sisal industry in1975.
He spent the 80’s working in London, from where he was
coordinating the marketing of Tanzania’s sisal products worldwide.
On his return to Tanzania in 1990, Salum Shamte and his
colleagues decided to dedicate their efforts in Research and
Development for sisal to determine new uses and new markets.
Katani Limited was able to construct a commercial size biogas/
electricity generation plant using the sisal biomass at its Hale
Estate. This is the first of its kind in the world. On the fibre front
the focus has been to develop sisal for specialty pulp and paper;
in padding and insulation and in composites. Salum Shamte
has been at the forefront to explain the case of sisal not only for
Tanzania but for the rest of the world.
This is the story of the Rise, the Fall and the Transformation of the
Sisal Industry in Tanzania and its contribution to the lives of Tanzanians
and the lives of other people around the World. It is similar to stories
of other Natural Fibres and is told alongside the development of other
Natural Fibres in other parts of the World.
It is told at the Natural Fibre ‘09 International Conference, which is held
as part of the Worldwide Commemoration of 2009 being The United
Nations International Year of Natural Fibres in which the World should
“DISCOVER NATURAL FIBRES”.
Effect of transcrystallinity on microbond shear
strength at sisal fibre – polylactic acid interface
Mechanical behaviour of natural sisal fibers
M Prajer & MP Ansell: Bath University, UK
1
BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, University of Bath, Bath,
BA2 7AY, United Kingdom, [email protected], Tel.: 01225 38 6749
2
1
FA Silva, 2N Chawla, & 3RD Toledo Filho: Technical University of Dresden, Germany
Institute of Construction Materials, Technical University of Dresden, Germany,
[email protected]  Tel: +49 (0)351-463-42134
School of Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, and Materials Engineering,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-8706, USA
[email protected]  Tel: +1 (480) 965-2402
Influence of the natural fibre coating on
interfacial adhesion between the fibres and
the polymeric matrix in composites
A Delille, A Bismarck, & A Mantalaris: Imperial College London, UK
Dept of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
[email protected]  [email protected]
[email protected]  Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 5578
Civil Engineering Department, COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil  [email protected]  Tel: +55 (21) 2562-8479
3
Marek Prajer is a PhD student in the Dept of Architecture and
Flávio de Andrade Silva is a visiting researcher at the Institute
Dr Anne Delille was born on 4 May 1979 in Thionville in France.
Civil Engineering at the University of Bath supervised by Dr. Martin
of Construction Materials – TU Dresden. He received his D.Sc.
She studied chemistry and physico-chemistry at the University
Ansell. He’s got Master in Materials Engineering at the Institute of
degree in civil engineering from the Federal University of Rio
of Metz and Nancy from 1998 to 2007. Her research activities
Chemical Technology in Prague.
de Janeiro (UFRJ) in 2009 for his dissertation on “Durability
were in the field of conversion coating of stainless steel surface
and Mechanical Properties of Sisal Fiber Reinforced Cement
(master research project at ARCELOR Research, in France) and
Composites”. He is a member of ACI committee 544, fiber
spectroscopical analysis of bacterial biofilm formation on ATR
reinforced concrete and RILEM Committee TDT, test methods
crystal (PhD research project).
Before starting his PhD he was working in polymer industry.
His research interest lies in the field of thermoplastics and
thermoplastic composites.
The paper examines transcrystalline growth of polylactic acid crystals
on the surface of single sisal fibre bundles. The matrix morphology
at the interface was investigated with hot stage microscopy. The
effect of transcrystallinity on the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) was
investigated to determine the micro-integrity of bio-thermoplastic
matrix composites.
and design of textile reinforced concrete and 208-HFC, high
performance fiber reinforced cementitious composites. He has
more than 8 years of experience in natural fibers and natural fiber
reinforced composites research. His research interests also include
textile reinforced concrete, high performance fiber reinforced
cement composites, green concrete, environmental friendly
She joined the Polymer and Composites Engineering group (PACE),
leads by Pr. Alexander BISMARCK, at Imperial College London
in 2008. She currently works on green composite materials by
optimizing the adhesion between natural fibres and the polymeric
matrix by using bacterial cellulose as reinforcing agent.
materials and metal matrix composites. Flávio has published 30
papers in conference proceedings and 5 in international peer
The aim of this study is to move to green renewable materials that
reviewed journals. He has a strong international experience
match the physical performances of traditional ones. Different types
which includes affiliations to COPPE/UFRJ in Brazil, Center for
of chemical and biochemical coatings of sisal and Lyocell fibres
Investigation and Advanced Studies of IPN in Queretaro – Mexico
have been investigated to reduce the gap between the fibres and
(CINVESTAV), Arizona State University (ASU) in the USA, Federal
the polymeric matrix in the resulting composites.
Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) and Technical
University of Dresden in Germany.
The tensile and fatigue behavior of individual sisal fibers was
experimentally investigated. The tests were performed on a
microforce testing system and the cross-sectional area of the fiber
was measured using scanning electron microscope micrographs
coupled with image analysis. The fatigue behavior was examined
in terms of the stress versus cycles and stress-strain hysteresis
behavior of the fibers.
SESSION
14
Dr John
Williams
Head of Polymers and
Materials, NNFCC, UK
KEYNOTE.
Natural fibres and renewability
John is NNFCC’s Technology Transfer Manager for renewable
Summary
polymers. He is responsible for identifying and helping develop
Currently, we are dependent on finite petrochemicals, which are
not only going to become more expensive, but are also associated
with the release of greenhouse gases. One solution is to increase
our use of renewable fuels and materials. Natural and bio-based
fibre producers will have to recognise the part they can play in this
emerging bio economy.
market opportunities in renewable polymers and also the bulk
and commodity chemical markets e.g. biosolvents. This involves
supporting many aspects such as supply chains, manufacture
and marketing as well as post use issues e.g. recycling and
disposal. Another dimension to John’s remit is sustainable
construction materials made from renewable materials.
John is a chartered chemist and an experienced industrial
technical manager, having worked extensively in product
and process development for both multinational and SME
organisations in the adhesives and polymer coatings industry.
His most recent development work was involved in the
•••
NATURAL FIBRES
IN GENERAL
Session Chair:
PHIL WARNER
Company Founder and
CEO, Ecofibre, Australia
formulation and testing of compostable film laminating and
pressure sensitive adhesives. John’s degree was in Chemistry,
and he completed a PhD in Adhesion to difficult surfaces
(plastics) at the University of Leeds. He is a Professional Member
of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Society of Chemical
Industry, the Institute of Directors, the European Chemical
Society, and is a Chartered Chemist.
Abstract
The renewable carbon in natural and bio-based fibres provides a
means to manage carbon in a sustainable manner. Petrochemicals
were once living organisms and the carbon they contain is the
product of ancient photosynthesis. Petrochemicals are formed over a
geological timescale, so their large-scale use for fuels and materials
means they are finite on a human timescale. The GHG released by
the use of fossil fuels also contributes to climate change. However,
by using renewable materials, and thus renewable carbon, we can
manage carbon in a more sustainable way and reduce the net gain
of GHGs in the atmosphere.
However, sustainability is not enough. The natural and bio based
fibres must have at least as good a performance and functionality
as petrochemical derived fibres. It is therefore important to use both
natural and bio-derived fibres in ever more challenging applications,
and provide a scale of manufacture to rival petro derived products in
order to maximise efficiency and economics.
In the future there will a place for natural and bio-based synthetic
fibres – one need not be a threat to the other.
Potentials of bast and hard fibres in
technical products
Fabrication of jute fibre reinforced composites using
cardanol-based resins as matrix
Effect of underwater shock wave treated
jute fibres on composite properties
J Steger: SachsenLeinen GmbH, Germany
P.Campaner1, N. Cronin2, D. D’Amico3, L. Longo3, A. Maffezzoli4, C. Stifani3, A. Tarzia3
1
DE-08396 Waldenburg, Germany  Tel: 0049 (0) 3763 404747-24
[email protected],
1
Cimteclab S.r.l., Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34012 Trieste, Italy;
2
Elmira Ltd, 9 Chapel Place, Rivington Street, London, EC23DQ, UK;
Cimteclab S.r.l., SP 362, ZI 3, 73010 Soleto. 4 Dept of Engineering of
Innovation, University of Salento, via per Arnesano km 1, 73100 Lecce,
Italy. (Lecce)  [email protected]  Tel: +39 0836 639075
3
Jürgen Steger has an MSc in Biology from the University of Bochum
Nicholas Cronin is presenting this talk.
products and their potentials for a sustainable development. He is a
member of EU advisory committee Flax and Hemp (2003 – 2007), a
member of COPA/COGECA consultative committee (2003 – 2007),
and a member of expert working group Flax and Hemp of the
German Ministry for Food and Agriculture (2003 – 2007).
Participating in several national and international RTD projects related
to technical bast fibre applications, he has broad experience with
bast and hard fibre processing and related production methods and
wide eco balancing experience.
Between 2000 – 2007 he was Managing Director of German Natural
Fibre Association (DNV), and since 2007 has been Director of
SachsenLeinen GmbH. Since 2008 he has been a Board member of
German Natural Fibre Association (DNV)
Bastfibres (Flax, Hemp, Jute, and Kenaf) have a long tradition
in the textile sector and paper market. The same is for hard
fibres (Sisal, Abaca) which are used to make high-quality
paper and strong ropes/hawsers. Because of their remarkable
mechanical properties, they are standard in automotive
applications since many years. This is because of their
lightweight potentials and low energy input for production.
Both can reduce the CO2-Footprint of individual and public
transport of the 21st century.
Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University,
Kumamoto Japan  Tel: +8108039476911  [email protected]
Shock Wave and Condensed Matter Research Center, 2-39-1 Kumamoto
University, Kumamoto Japan  Tel: +81 -96-342-3299
[email protected]
2
G.M.Shafiur Rahman was born in Tangail ,Bangladesh, on
October 31, 1971. He graduated from Rajshahi University,
studying the mechanisms of olfaction. He did his Doctoral thesis
at the University of Bonn on flax and hemp fibre based technical
GMS Rahman and 2S Itoh: Kumamoto University, Japan
1
Jute fibre reinforced composites were prepared using resins based
on cardanol, the main constituent of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid
(CNSL), a renewable natural resource obtained by the cashew nut.
Coupling jute fibres with cardanol-based matrices led to composites
characterized by a high amount of natural components.
Rajshahi, Bangladesh, 1992. He has also received his masters
degree in applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology from the
same university. Currently, he is conducting research for his
PhD study in Pulsed Power Science at Kumamoto University,
Kumamoto, Japan. He is also a Lecturer of Materials Science and
Technology, Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. His teaching and
research interest fall into the natural fiber and wood processing
using chemical or mechanical method, composite materials
fabrication and characteristic.
His employment experience including Textile industry, electroplating
and galvanizing industry in Bangladesh as a production chemist,
Junior Research Associate at Global Initiative Center for Pulsed
Power Engineering, Kumamoto University, Japan. His contact
e-mail address is [email protected].
Several physical-chemical fibre treatments have been used to
improve the quality of natural fiber composites. Main attention of this
work is to examine the effect of fiber treatment by using underwater
shock wave on the mechanical properties and moisture absorption
for jute fibre reinforced plastic.
SESSION
15
Potentials of bast and hard fibres
in technical products
J Steger: SachsenLeinen GmbH, Germany
DE-08396 Waldenburg, Germany  Tel: 0049 (0) 3763 404747-24
[email protected]
Linen and hemp: green fibresfocused on
innovation and performance applications
in the field of mobility
The role of cotton in sustaining the sudanese
rural and urban community life over decades
and future look
J Pariset1 & J Baets2: CELC Masters of Linen, France
H Ahmed: Africa City of Technology, Sudan
1 Confédération Européenne du Lin et du Chanvre, 15 Rue du Louvre,
75001 Paris, France, Tel : +33 (0)1 42 21 89 69 -
Africa City of Technology. Khartoum, No. 21 Soba West. Sudan.
[email protected]  [email protected]  Tel: +249912394033
2 Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Department Metallurgy and Materials
Engineering, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
Tel : +32 16 32 11 93  [email protected],
Yuli Somme, M.A. (Textiles) I have roots in two places: the
Julie Pariset was born in Saint-Dié, France on November 4, 1979.
Hasab Elrasool A.Bagi Muhammad Ahmed, Sudanese, born
country of my birth, Norway, and the English county of Devon
While keeping one eye on the blue horizon of her native Vosges, she
1954, Associate Professor, Textile Engineering, Ph.D. Sudan
where I have spent most of my life. These two places have
earned a Management and International Business diploma at the
University, M.Sc New South Wales University, Australia,
wool deeply embedded in the history and culture, and this is
Superior Institute for European Management (ISEG) in Strasbourg
Postgraduate Diploma, Leeds University, U.K. Associate of
something that seems to run in my ancestry and in my veins.
before embarking on a career working for key fashion and couture
Textile Institute, FeLLow, Sudanese Engineering Society. Diploma
companies in Paris. Since January 2008, she has been in charge
Textile Technology, College of Engineering Studies, Khartoum
of communications and special events for CELC, the European
Polytechnic Member Union of Engineers, Sudan. Member Sudan
industrial-agricultural federation made up of 10,000 members in 14
Engineering Council, (Consultant Engineer) President and founder
countries which promotes linen and hemp for clothing, textiles and
Textile Graduate Association, (Sudan), Member, Sudan Consumer
home decoration as well as for uses other than textiles. In July 2009,
Assciation, Member, Sudanese inofrmation management, Member,
she was also named project manager of CELC’s « Technical Uses »
Total quality management group, Head, Textile Committee, Sudan
division. Her role is to organize a European network to bring together
Standards and Metrology Organization (SSMO), Head, Cotton and
the competences of manufacturers, universities and research centers
Gin Committee, Sudan Standards and Metrology Organization
Learning ancient techniques from traditional Turkish felt makers
while helping create a non-textile European Flax and Hemp affiliate
(SSMO), Head, Army and Police Textile Needs Committee (SSMO).
in 1999 imbued me with a deeper understanding of tacit
for the automobile, boat, sport equipment, composite and eco-
knowledge. This I have taken forward into my educational work
construction markets.
In the 1970’s I volunteered on organic farms in New Zealand and
learnt the art of spinning and weaving.
At Coldharbour Mill in Devon in the 1980’s I worked as a
researcher into the cottage weaving industry and at Exeter Art
College I turned to making felt. There was no-one to teach me –
just my own familiarity with wool as a guide.
•••
TEXTILE
APPLICATIONS
in schools, and also in the development of a more industrialized
felt, using locally sourced wool, and R & D work with Axminster
Session Chair:
Carpets (Buckfast Spinning Company). My partnership with
PAULA BRAZIER
Anne Belgrave and the forming of our company, Bellacouche,
Managing Director –
Wigglesworth & Co Ltd,
Vice Chairman – London
Sisal Association, 1st
Vice Chairperson – UNFAO Intergovernmental
Group on Hard Fibres
has resulted in an interesting bridge between the hand-made
and the industrial felt making process.
Native language Arabic, Speaks fluent Engilish, knowledge
of French.
CELC is an organization of the european flax an hemp industry, in
order to promote european flax and hemp as a sustainable fibre.
The cotton crop has been a source of income, employment, food,
It helps as well the producers of the fibers, as industries which
fuel, fodder, fertilizer, shelter, furniture, for developing countries.
are interested in these fibers. It is active as a kind of platform for
Sudan witnessed the cultivation of cotton since the Turkish Ottoman
knowledge exchange
Empire, but as a mass scale it has been developed by the British
colonizer to supply the British Textile Industry at that time with the
Two artists are playing an important part in the greening of the funeral
trade by using wool to make felt burial shrouds.
raw cotton. This has been ongoing for more than eighty year. This
paper examines the impact of cotton on the life of the community
by presenting statistical data of cotton cultivation, inputs, harvesting,
transportation, Ginning, packaging, warehousing, selling policies,
byproducts, community return. The paper focuses mainly on the
gains to community sectors from cotton cultivation preparation,
byproducts and export.
Designing with naturally coloured Fibres –
challenges and rewards
The BRE Innovation Park: The Renewable
Hemp House
BM Marshall: Director, Marshall Design, Australia
M Patten & I Pritchett: Lime Technology Ltd, UK
100 Creighton Way, Doreen 3754, Victoria, Australia
[email protected]  Tel: +613 97173515
Unit 126, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4SA
Tel: 0845 634 1564  [email protected]
Barbara Marshall CMG is a colour designer and Director of Marshall
Mark Patten is Product Manager for Tradical® Hemcrete® at Lime
Design, a multi-disciplinary design practise that specializes in
Technology Ltd., a company dedicated to pushing the use of
international trend forecasting. Barbara is a Chairholder of the
traditional lime based building materials into the new build market,
prestigious Color Marketing Group of the USA and a Director of
as ecological alternatives to cement based products.
the Pan Pacific Fashion Colour Council. With experience in fibre
and textiles from the field to the factory Barbara has clients in the
textile, carpet and furnishing industries. Her current projects include
developing commercial product ranges from naturally coloured
wool and alpaca fibre as well as developing a training package in
managing colour standards for natural fibre producers.
Lime Technology is involved in developing low energy building
materials through research projects at Bristol, Bath and Bradford
Universities. These are centred around natural soils, clay,
chalk and lime binders with natural aggregates and plant fibre
reinforcement (e.g. unfired earth blocks and Hemcrete®).
Lime Technology have been involved in supplying lime based
The challenges in designing textiles for a trend driven commercial
materials to hundreds of new building projects including the
market using only the naturally occurring colours of natural fibres can
new Channel Tunnel Rail link Terminal at St Pancras Station, the
be considerable. This paper addresses some of the strategies that
new National Trust headquarters, the new Amnesty International
both growers and users of natural fibres can use to make the most of a
office, the new Adnams Brewery Distribution centre, the CAT
limited colour gamut.
WISE project, Clayfield Housing project at Elmswell for Orwell
Housing Association as well as numerous other schools and
social housing schemes.
At the end of 2008 the new Govt. Department of Energy and Climate
Change (DECC) decided to fund the construction of a demonstration
house at the BRE made from renewable materials. The brief was
to use renewable materials to show that high quality and high
performance could be combined with affordable price. The National
Non-Food Crop Centre (NNFCC) project managed the construction.
The house was built using a timber frame, Hemcrete® walls,
sheepswool roof insulation, soya based paints and natural fibre rugs
and furnishings. The resulting house has a low carbon footprint, low
energy use and meets level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
SESSION
16
Characterisation of biocomposites manufactured
from natural fibres, sustainable resins and lignin
as a filler
Nanoscale toughness of
spider silk
PLA and PP composites with cellulosic fibres from
wood industry and peat
D Porter & F Vollrath: University of Oxford, UK
K Immonen & J Lampinen: VTT, Finland
BM Wood, SR Coles, K Kirwan & SJ Maggs: University of Warwick, UK
VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland), P.O.Box 310, 33101
Tampere, Finland,
Sustainable Materials Group, WMG, International Manufacturing Centre,
University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK, CV4 7AL
[email protected]  Tel: +44(0) 2476 572 679
[email protected]  Tel:+358 40 5185351
[email protected]  Tel: +358 40 8482130
Ben Wood has been working as a Research Engineer with WMG
Fritz Vollrath received his PhD from the Zoology, Department
Kirsi Immonen is a Research Scientist at VTT Technical Research
at Warwick University for the last three years. Past projects
at the University of Freiburg in Germany. After time at the
Centre of Finland, where she has worked for eight years. Before
include the development of Eco One, an environmentally-friendly
Smithsonian,Tropical Research Institution in Panama and the Zoology
VTT she worked at Finnish chemical company, Neste Chemicals,
racing car which received international media attention. His
Departments at the Universities of Oxford UK, Basel CH and Aarhus
with applied research and processing R&D for different polyester
current research focus is the development of technologies for
DK he is now back at the Department of Zoology at Oxford where he
based materials. She graduated as Master of Science from
sustainable motor sport, including high performance biodiesel
works primarily on spiders’ webs and silk structure-function-property
Lappeenranta University of Technology at Applied Chemistry
and biocomposites.
relationships. [email protected]
Department in 1991. Her background is in polymer chemistry
Natural fibre composites are becoming more popular as concerns
over sustainability increase. Their mechanical properties are not yet
Silk has been used as a textile for thousands of years and yet it is
only recently that we are beginning to fully understand its structure.
and for several years her research area is mainly focused on
different natural fibre based composites, biocomposites and their
processing. She is an author of scientific papers and patents.
comparable to those of synthetic composites for numerous reasons
•••
CHARACTERISATION
PROPERTIES
Session Chair:
PHIL WARNER
Phil Warner, Company
Founder and CEO,
Ecofibre, Australia
including porosity and poor chemical bonding at the fibre-matrix
Natural fibre composites are finding their way in new applications.
interface. Filler materials are commonly used in composite materials
In this work natural fibres with different particle size and origin were
to reduce costs with minimal reduction in mechanical properties.
studied. Cellulose pulp, saw dust, reed canary grass and peat
Lignin is a natural material and also a waste product from many
fibres were used with PLA and PP matrices. Mechanical properties,
industries including paper manufacture.
moisture absorption and visual appearance of the composites
were studied.
Preparation and properties of wheat flour
reinforced with wheat straw using extrusion
processing
W Xia, YG Kang, K Tarverdi, & JH Song: Brunel University, UK
Wolfson Centre for Materials Processing, Brunel University, Uxbridge,
Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK.
Dr. Karnik Tarverdi has extensive experience and expertise in
developing and using sustainable composites for packaging
including recycled composites and the use of nano materials to
enhance properties of polymer based materials.
Dr. Tarverdi is involved in many UK Government and European
Union funded projects and has been in the forefront of developing
and exploitation of continuous extrusion blending technology for the
manufacture of composites, he has many patents and published
even more papers in compound and machine development for the
manufacture and assessment of sustainable composites.
He lectures to MSc. Students on Advanced Materials Processing,
including nano composites, at the School of Engineering and
Design, Brunel University.
A novel co-rotating intermeshing extrusion compounding process is
described for the preparation of biopolymer composites containing
natural fibres as low cost and sustainable reinforcing agents.
P
1
Failure mechanism of foam cored natural fiber
sandwich structures in three point bending
Manjunath Yadav S 1, Sham Aan MP 2, KV Arun 3,
S Basavarajappa4, M Krishna 5
1 4 Department of studies in Mechanical Engineering, University
B.D.T College of Engineering, Davangere-04, Karnataka, INDIA
3 Department of studies in Industrial and Production Engineering,
University B.D.T. College of engineering, Davangere-04,
Karnataka, INDIA
2, 5 Research and Development, R.V. College of Engineering,
Bangalore-59, Karnataka, INDIA
ABSTRACT:
•••
POSTERS
The results of the experimental analysis carried out on sandwich
structures with rigid polyurethane foam (PUF) core and different
skin materials have been reported. From 3 point bending test
Facing bending stress (FBS), Core shear stress (CSS) have been
evaluated for the sandwich structures. These tests have been
conducted on 4 different compositions of the core materials and
3 varieties of skin materials. Comparisons of results have been
between the sandwich structures. A macroscopic and microscopic
analysis of the fractured surfaces has been made to identify the
nature of failure under bending loads. It has been demonstrated
that the debond strength of the core-face and core plays an
important role in enhancing the flexural property and controlling of
the failure mechanisms. It has been observed that with increasing
the debonding strength of the core-face interface, the failure mode
changes from debonding of the core-face interface to the failure of
the face.
2
Geotextiles
S. Aboorwin Pandian
DKTE’S Textile and Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji, India, Dept.
of Textiles  Mob: +919823569751  [email protected]
ABSTRACT:
Geotextiles is one of the main part of technical textiles. In this
poster, we are highlighting about geotextiles. Experiences of
geotextiles have demonstrated that it has extensive application
potential in various geotechnical engineering works. They are also
capable of providing instant solution under distress situations.
Besides the projects detailed in this poster several other
experimental projects of diverse nature, employing geotextiles
made from both natural & synthetic fibers, have been either
successfully executed or are under progress.
The laboratory evolution methods for geotextiles used in various
civil engineering applications are expected to be designed in such
a way that reasonably good correlation between the laboratory
test results and the actual field performance is obtained. The test
data also helps the design engineers to select a correct type
of geotextiles in relation to their application areas. The selection
of the geotextiles for a particular design is based on matching
the geotextiles ability to perform each of basic functions. Their
relative importance in that design application. In 1973 three basic
functions of geotextiles were identified namely separation, filtration,
and reinforcement shortly afterwards the drainage function is
added in the basic function.
Non-woven geotextile fabrics are produced from 100% virgin
polymers, needle-punched or spun-bonded to provide maximum
permeability and optimum strength. The high permeability, excellent
drainage capacity and controlled filtration properties of non-woven
geotextile products ideally suit them for drainage and soil filtration
applications. Nonwovens geotextiles are extensively used in civil
engineering to supply a combination of separation, filtration &
reinforcement. Keeping this in view geotextiles have been to be
used in various projects either on trial bases or as an effective
alternative economical solution. A case history of different projects
executed with geotextiles has been brought out.
Their popular applications are in river embankments, canals, roads,
railways, airports, earthen dam, slopes, ports, harbors docks, drain
etc. River bed, canal lining, harbors docks & ports construction,
road construction, rural road edge drains, and applications in
dams are mentioned. The poster reviews the current scenario
covering geotextiles & also focuses attention on the potential future
applications.
Nitrogen adsorption measurements have shown that samples have
developed mesoporosity and that specific surface and porosity
decrease with increasing the temperature of thermal treatment.
XRD of samples infiltrated by Ce(NO3)3 x 6 H2O reveal that very
good crystalline CeO2 is obtained at low temperature (600 °C).
But, samples infiltrated by AlCl3 x 6 H2O were still amorphous at
low temperatures (600 and 800 °C). At 1200°C samples have
shown very good crystallized Al2O3 phase.
SEM images reveal fibrous structure of obtained samples at
low temperatures (600 and 800C). At higher temperatures, the
microstructures were loosed fiber structure but, the porous
structure was retained.
4
Tensile strength of cotton and coir fibers –
an experimental investigation
1A Komuraiah, 2D Sreekahth Raop, 3N Shyam Kumar, 4SV Subba
Rao
1 Asst Prof Dept of Mechanical Engineering, Kits (s) singapuram
505 468 Andhra Pradesh India  [email protected]
2 Asst Prof SR Engg Colllege Warangal 3Principal, Jagans college
of engineering, Nellore 4Associate Prof, JNTU Kakinada
SUMMARY:
B. M. Babi�, B. Ž. Matovi�
Institute for Nuclear Sciences Vin�a, University of Belgrade,
P. O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia  [email protected],
Tel: +381113408224
The natural fibers are a part of the human civilization and they are
most important engineering materials for agricultural formers from
a long time. Even though formers do not know the principles of
science and engineering synthesize the fibers and fabricate the
required thing. In this experimentation we have taken the coir, i.e.
coconut fibers (exactly the way in which local formers will take) and
we have conducted the tensile tests in our college laboratory. And
also we have conducted the tensile test on the cotton fibers and
we have compared the data with the literature and data available.
The coir fibers can replace the conventional fibers like glass.
SUMMARY:
ABSTRACT:
3
Synthesis and characterization of CeO2 and Al2O3
obtained by using egg shell membrane as template
Egg shell membranes were used as template for producing
biomimetic CeO2 and Al2O3 materials. Characterization of
novel materials showed that structure (specific surface, porosity
and crystallite size) depends of the temperature of the thermal
treatment.
ABSTRACT:
Egg shell membranes were extracted from the fresh chicken eggs.
Membranes were washed with distilled water and immersed in 1M
solutions of Ce(NO3)3 x 6 H2O and AlCl3 x 6 H2O for seven days.
Samples were dried and heated in inert atmosphere (600 °C) for
2h. To study the crystallization process, samples were heated, in
air, at different temperatures (600, 800 and 1200 °C).
Samples were characterized by nitrogen adsorption measurements,
X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy
dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
The conventional fibers Glass, carbon, boron and Kevlar are
being used as reinforcing materials in fibre reinforced plastics (FRP)
However, these materials are a challenge to human civilization ,
by using these materials we are degrading the environment and a
great threat to the future generations . Disposability of plastics and
the polymer composite are not possible easily and threat to our
life’s hence Natural fibers from plants such as jute, bamboo, coir,
sisal and pineapple can be used with natural binding resins . They
have very high strength and can be used for many load-bearing
applications. These fibres have the advantages of renewable
resource and biodegradability.
For the present study, two types of commercially available fibers coir
and cotton were used to conduct the tensile tests on the spring
compression testor in our lab , the testing conditions were at the room
temperature , because the formers will fabricate the things at room
temperature only. We found that the coir can replace glass fibers and
cotton fibers can be used for moderate applications.
5
Tel: +34 93 739 81 58.
Applications of natural hemp and flax fibres
summary:
M Diakoumi
University of Brighton; Cockcroft Building, Lewes Road, Brighton,
East Sussex, UK, BN2 4GJ
Tel: 01273642275  [email protected]
This work analyzes the potential beneficial effects of subjecting
cellulosic fibres to drying and rewetting cycles –hornification
process- on the resistance of cured cement mortar composites.
Two types of cellulosic fibres have been used for comparison:
chemical pulp from softwood and cotton linters.
summary:
The aim of this project is to bring together a multidisciplinary
team of specialists to investigate and further the use of natural
renewable resources, such as the hemp and flax, in a wide variety
of sectors which include medical, construction, textile, automotive
and food industries.
ABSTRACT:
Renewably-resourced natural materials are currently under intense
investigation in order to diminish reliance on petroleum based
synthetics and non-sustainably farmed natural products. Cellulose
rich hemp and flax bast fibres are particularly suitable, sustainable
resources for natural biopolymer production and can result in
significant reduction of carbon footprint. The bast fibres are
cheap, resistant to microorganisms, of high tensile strength and
low density and can be blended with synthetic or biodegradable
polymer binders to form high strength biocomposites. The whole
plant can be utilised for a range of applications in medical,
construction, textile, automotive, cosmetic, and food industries.
The University of Brighton has brought together a team of
researchers with expertise in a diverse but interconnecting range
of disciplines and approaches to sustainable materials to establish
methods of investigation which are best used in a holistic iterative
approach. In order to assess the benefits attained from the entire
chain of the bast fibres, a holistic approach using traditional
and novel methods which extend from agriculture to the related
processes, end-products and waste disposal is adopted.
The project comprises of six work packages which include
assessment of the ecological impact of growing bast fibres,
waste/residue management and life cycle analysis, applications
of biocomposites in product design, applications of bast fibres in
construction, biomaterial applications and assessment of hemp
and flax in the food industry.
6
Effect of drying and rewetting cycles ofcellulosic
fibres on Resistance of Cementitious Composites
J Claramunta), M Ardanuyb), and JA García-Hortalb)
a) Escola Superior d’Agricultura de Barcelona. Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya. Avinguda del Canal Olímpic, 15.
E-08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona) Spain, e-mail josep.claramunt@
upc.edu, Phone: +34 93 552 11 10.
b) Departament d’Enginyeria Tèxtil i Paperera. ETSEIAT. Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya. C/Colom, 11, E-08222, Terrassa, Spain
 [email protected]  [email protected]
ABSTRACT:
Besides ecological and sustainability considerations, natural fibres
are cheaper and bring to cement or mortar cement matrixes
resistance among other benefits. Nevertheless, the use of these
cellulosic fibres in vegetable fibre reinforced cement composites
(VFRC) is hampered by their low durability and poor adhesion,
which in recent years has led to the replacement of these fibres by
synthetic ones. The lack of durability of VFRC is mainly caused by
the presence of calcium hydroxide on the matrix, which degrades
the fibres, and by changes in the environmental moisture, which
induce dimensional changes in the vegetable fibres.
It is well known that drying and rewetting cycles principally
cause shrinkage of the natural fibres due to the formation of
hydrogen bonds in cellulose. This irreversible effect is known as
“hornification” and is quantified as the percentage reduction in
water retention values (WRV). The reduction in the WRV of the
hornificated fibres could have beneficial effects on VFRC. On one
hand, the hornificated fibres will have higher dimensional stability,
and thus higher fibre-matrix adherence is expected. On the other
hand, as a consequence of the lower WRV of these hornificated
fibres, a reduction in the formation of incrustations of calcium
hydroxide on the surface and lumen of the fibres and consequently
a reduction in the degradation of the cellulose in the cementitious
matrix are expected.
In this study two types of cellulosic fibres -chemical pulp from
softwood and cotton linters- previously subjected to hornification
process have been used to prepare cement mortar composites
with different composition. The resistance of these composites
was tested after 28 days of cure treatment and after four wet-dry
cycles. Results indicated that the previous treatment of fibres
(hornification process) has beneficial effects on the resistance of
the resulting cementitious composites.
7
Migration of calcium hydroxide particles from
the matrix to the cellulosic fibres in cement mortar
based composites
J Claramunta), M Ardanuyb), and JA García-Hortalb)
a) Escola Superior d’Agricultura de Barcelona. Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya. Avinguda del Canal Olímpic, 15.
E-08860 Castelldefels, Spain  [email protected]
Tel: +34 93 552 11 10
b) Departament d’Enginyeria Tèxtil i Paperera. ETSEIAT. Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya. C/Colom, 11, E-08222, Terrassa
(Barcelona) Spain  Tel: +34 93 739 81 58
[email protected]  [email protected]
summary:
This work analyzes the migration of calcium hydroxide particles
from cementitious matrix to cellulosic fibres in cement mortar
based composites. This effect has been analyzed using two
types of cellulosic fibres with different origin: chemical pulp from
softwood and cotton linters.
ABSTRACT:
Besides ecological and sustainability considerations, natural fibres
are cheaper and bring to cement or mortar cement matrixes
resistance among other benefits. Nevertheless, the use of these
cellulosic fibres in vegetable fibre reinforced cement composites
(VFRC) is hampered by their low durability and poor adhesion,
which in recent years has led to the replacement of these fibres by
synthetic ones. The lack of durability of VFRC is mainly caused by
the presence of calcium hydroxide on the matrix.
In this study two types of cellulosic fibres -chemical pulp from
softwood and cotton linters- have been mixed with a matrix with
high content on cement. The corresponding composites were
subjected to four wet-dry cycles and the eventual changes on
chemical composition of the fibres and of the matrix were studied.
Optical micrographs (Fig.1 Optical micrograph of the softwood fibre
filled with calcium hydroxide particles) and X-ray diffractograms
indicated the presence of calcium hydroxide particles in the lumen
of the fibres. This migration of the calcium hydroxide particles
from the matrix to the inner of the fibre was also confirmed with
thermogravimetric analysis.
8
Characteristic and performance of
elementary hemp fibres
D Dai and Mizi Fan
Civil Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Design,
Brunel University, West London, UB8 3PH, UK. Correspondence
to:  Mizi Fan [email protected].  Tel: +4401895266466
summary:
A comprehensive experimental study has been carried out to
ascertain the properties of elementary hemp fibres. Characteristics,
failure modes and strength of elementary hemp fibres have
carefully been determined by using microscopic techniques and
their correlations established. Many important outcomes have
been achieved and presented in this paper.
ABSTRACT:
There have been many investigations of the strength of hemp
fibres, however, it is not possible to use or appropriate to
compare data reliably from different investigations reported in
the literatures. Measuring natural fibres proves to be a great
challenge. Micro-structural defects, fibre abstraction (e.g. single
fibre) and processing technology are yet to be studied. This
P
paper is an attempt to characterize the surface and reveal the
failure mechanisms of elementary hemp fibres that have occurred
by using microscopic techniques. By observing carefully the
fracture modes the factors affecting their respective failure could
be determined, and the realistic and accurate properties of
elementary hemp fibres obtained. The results showed that there
exist various deformation/defects in the single elementary hemp
fiber (e.g. kink bands, dislocations, nodes, slip planes) which
may be the weak points to initiate the failure under an applied
stress. The micro-architecture of hemp cell wall is another critical
parameter contributing to the failure of the fibres. The primary wall
and secondary wall showed different deformation and breaking
behavior: crack (breaking) initiates in a weak point of primary wall
and subsequently propagates along radial direction. The order
of breaking was: primary wall, S1 layer, S2 layer. The average
S2 layer microfibril angle of the broken surface was about 6.16°,
which was much bigger than the average microfibril angle of
normal hemp S2 layer (2.8° for the fibres tested), indicating that the
breaking of hemp fibre occurs at the points where have the biggest
microfibril angle.
9
NATCOM: Structural and mechanical
characterisation of natural fibre composites
•••
POSTERS
X Peng1), M Fan2), J Hartley3) & M Al-Zubaidy4)
1), 2) Civil Engineering Department, School of Engineering and
Design, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK 3),
4) Exel Composites UK. Fairoak Lane, Whitehouse, Cheshire, WA7
3DU, UK
Correspondence to: Mizi Fan  Email: [email protected]
Tel: +4401895266466.
SUMMARY:
NATCOM is a TSB funded comprehensive programme to develop
high strength natural fibre composites for structural applications.
As a part of this programme, a series of natural fibre composites
have been pultruded by using hemp and wool fibres, and three
different resins (i.e. polyester, polyurethane and vinyl ester), and
the structure and performance of the developed composites have
thoroughly been investigated.
ABSTRACT:
Natural fibres and their composites with irresistible advantages,
such as renewability and biodegradability, have shown great
potential in structural applications, such as construction. Extensive
efforts are being made in attempt to develop natural fibre
composites with desired structure and good overall properties.
As a part of the comprehensive research programme, this paper
focuses on the mechanical and structural characterisation of
the pultruded composites made from hemp and wool fibre
reinforcements. The results showed that the composite using
polyurethane resin system has higher tensile and compressive
strength as well as the Young’s and compressive moduli compared
with the polyester and vinyl ester composites; while, the latter two
exhibit better flexibility to some extents. In general, the natural
fibre reinforced composites examined here have not shown
significant difference in their mechanical performance and both
tensile strength and Young’s modulus are lower than that of the
glass fibre reinforced polyurethane. The SEM observation of the
layered polyester and polyurethane composites has found gaps
on the interface of fibres and resin matrix. It is also revealed that
fibres are not evenly distributed in the composites and more resin
aggregates in areas close to rod surface. Meanwhile, voids have
been noticed existing in both composites and more of them are
found in polyurethane composites, particularly in the near-tosurface areas. The water absorption measurement has indicated
that polyurethane composite absorbs more water than other
composites developed after immerging in water for 24 hours, and
there is no big difference in water absorption for composites made
from polyester and vinyl ester resins.
10
Eco-composite modular House: design concept
and performance analysis
G Cicala, G Cristaldi, A D’aveni, G Recca
Engineering Faculty, University of Catania, Viale A.Doria 6, Catania95125, Italy [email protected], Phone: 0039-3201896236
SUMMARY:
The present paper is focused on the development of a novel
concept of modular house which can be assembled in situ with
pre-formed sandwich panels. The design concept was based
on the use of natural and renewable materials for the sandwich
construction. The performance analysis was aimed to determine
the mechanical and thermal performances of both the sandwich
assemblies and the eco-house as whole.
ABSTRACT:
The problem of building houses which are modular and that can be
assembled and/or moved easily and quickly is of key importance
nowadays. For example the use of such type of house can be of
great interest in the case of earthquake events in order to provide
comfortable houses for the homeless people in short times.
An additional problem which can be solved by modular design
is related to applications which require flexibility in terms of
positioning of the house. An example can be the solution adopted
by some college in order to have prefabricated houses in their
campus which can accommodate one or two students and that
can be easily moved from place to place inside the campus.
Fiber reinforced composites offer several advantages for this application
such as lightness, durability to weathering conditions and cheap
manufacturing. Different technological solutions can be find to build
sandwich panels using glass fiber as reinforcing fibre. However, glass
fiber is not renewable and it is one of the heaviest reinforcing fibers.
In the present paper we present some novel solutions for the
building sandwich panels produced with all renewable reinforcing
elements. In particular hemp fibers were evaluated ranging from
short to twisted fibers. The use of auxetic core materials reinforced
with hemp fibres will also be presented.
The desing concept will be presented together with the
performance analysis of the eco-composite house.
11
The wetting properties and topography of
bamboo fibres (Guadua Angustifolia)
CA Fuentes, LQN Tran, C Dupont-Gillain1, W.Vanderlinden, L
Osorio, E Trujillo, AW Van Vuure, I.Verpoest
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (MTM),
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, B-3001
Leuven, Belgium  [email protected]
Tel: +32-16-321448
1Unité de Chimie des Interfaces, Université Catholique de Louvain,
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
SUMMARY:
Several controversies concerning the correctness to determine
natural fibre surface energy components from quasi-equilibrium
contact angle measurements exist at present; therefore, it is
not clear if the results derived from wetting experiments can
provide reasonable accuracy. This study points out that the large
fluctuations in wetting between various bamboo fibres may be
due more to the topography of the fibre than to any other type
of phenomena.
ABSTRACT:
Many of the phenomenological aspects of wetting processes
have been recognized and modeled for synthetic materials, from
which surface energy components can be derived. Nevertheless,
in the case of natural fibres, there are several difficulties to obtain
meaningful data from wetting measurements, caused by their
complex nature: liquid sorption, diffusion of extractives, different
cross section along the fibre length, chemical heterogeneity, etc.
As a result, the wetting behavior of natural fibres is far from the
behavior which should ensure the meaningful interpretation of
wetting as quasi-equilibrium phenomena.
In this study, the wetting behavior of untreated and autoclave
treated bamboo fibres is characterized by use of the Wilhelmy
technique; surface topography is examined by AFM, surface
chemical components are identified using XPS and sorption is
measured by microbalance. Additionally, wetting experiments on
PET fibres are conducted in order to compare the wetting behavior
of a synthetic fibre with a natural fibre.
The results indicate that the large fluctuations during wetting
between various bamboo fibres of the same batch may be due
more to the topography of the fibres than to any other type of nonequilibrium phenomena, and it is possible to obtain experimental
wetting data on natural fibres with reasonable accuracy, allowing
meaningful information on interfacial interactions to be deduced.
12
abstract:
abstract:
The wool production characteristics in
Arkharmerino × Moghani crossbreeds of sheep
The study of natural fibers arose due the need of providing an
alternative to the destruction of trees, the use of certain plants
provide diverse options to produce paper and at the same time
reduce impact to the environment as well as an opportunity of
doing extensive research for Art. The re-discovery of paper as
a main element in a piece of Art has as objective to identify the
possibilities that natural fibers offer in a piece of Art as a support
to Photography, Sculpture and Happenings. Also, to identify the
contribution of nature give us to create a masterpiece, the beauty
of natural fibers and the endless variety of textures, color and
transparencies to create a piece of Art. It feels attraction for this
material for all that can provide as a way for creativity.
The Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) through the
Department of Art and Design has “natural fibers” as an objective
of research with the purpose of relating Art with Ecuadorian flora.
The investigation raises basic processes of elaboration the paper
of natural fibers such as the extraction of the fiber, the cooking of
the fiber, the preparation of the flesh, molding and drying of the
paper as well as an analysis of the behavior of the fibers.
For the process of dying the paper natural pigments have been
used from native plants such as Avocado, Nogal, Cochinilla and
some more from the area where the ‘Shuara’ live in the Amazonic
province of Zamora Chinchipe; in the process is used traditional
tools from Ecuador. It has also been experimented the extraction
of different native fibers such as Musa paradisiaca, Agave sisalana,
Furcraea andina, Andropogon citratos and Guadua angustifolia.
Also, we present the results of the elaboration of paper made
from natural fibers of no-filament plants which are recoverable in
a period of six months. These are plants are considered of short
cycle and the importance of it because water, fibers and energy
are no-renewable resources which it makes its use a challenge
for this century. They are reference of a culture, becoming typical
elements of Ecuador.
Vegetable fibers have several aspects, such as low production
costs, biodegradability and great mechanical properties, which
make them very attractive in the field of composites reinforcement
[1]. The aim of this study is to introduce into a L-poly-(lactic-acid)
(PLLA) – hemp biocomposite a new compatibilizer, inspired from
mussels’ adhesive capacity [2], to improve the fibers’-matrix
bonding.
As a first step, we carried out atomic force microscopy (AFM) and
surface energy measurements in order to evidence the creation of
a polydopamine thin film on the PLLA substrate.
Secondly, tensile tests were performed. The first results show
a significant increase of the Young modulus and the strength at
breaking-point when using polydopamine. Observations made
through scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) confirmed an
improvement of the fibers-matrix coupling in the presence of poly(dopamine).
H Esfandyari, J Shodja & SA Rafat
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University
of Tabriz, P.O. Box: 5166616471, 29 Bahman Blvd, Tabriz, Iran
[email protected]  Tel: +98 411 3850031.
summary:
This investigation was carried out to reveal the wool characteristics
of Arkharmerino×Moghani crossbreed sheep. The research
material was fleece samples taken from the midside region of
animals. Each sample was measured for average fiber diameter,
fiber diameter variability, staple length, proportion of medullated
fiber, proportion of kemp, and comfort factor.
abstract:
Wool is an additional source of income in most sheep operations
and can represent 15 to 25% of gross income. The greatest part
of the wool produced by the indigenous sheep breeds in Iran is of
coarse and mixed type of wool and most of it is used in the hand
woven authentic carpet production. Even though native breed
of Moghani produce wool that is useful for carpet section but
ununiformity of wool diameter in different regions of body is high
and should be reduced. In addition, this breed has potential to
produce finer wools to reach the Fustian system qualifications. To
reach these goals crossbreeding with exotic Arkharmerino breed
started in region from 2001.
Arkharmerino×Moghani (ArMo) crossbreed sheep were produced
and maintained at the Khalat Poshan Research Station located
in Tabriz, Iran. Before shearing wool samples were taken from
the rib region of 125 ArMo crossbreed sheep. Each sample was
measured for average fiber diameter, fiber diameter variability,
staple length, proportion of medullated fiber, proportion of kemp,
and comfort factor. The comparative values for these fleece
for, ArMo were, 29.79±0.43μ, 41.86±1.16%, 11.96±0.37cm,
8.13±1.06%, 2.71±0.45% and 63.33±3.66 respectively. The
effects of sex, birth type, and year of birth were studied. The two
differences in fiber characteristics that were attributable to sex were
fiber diameter variability and proportion of medullated fiber and
females had higher amounts than males for both trait. Birth type
and year of birth affected staple length (P<0.01). As a result of the
statistical analysis, it was found that crossing with Arkharmerino
generally had positive effects on the fleece favorable to be used in
the hand woven authentic carpet production.
Modification of hemp/clay interface by
organosilanes grafting
A Rachini, M Le Troedec, S Rossignol, C S Peyratout, A Smith
Groupe d’Etude des Matériaux Hétérogènes (GEMH), Ecole Nationale
Supérieure de Céramique Industrielle (ENSCI), 47 - 73, Avenue Albert
Thomas,87065, Limoges Cedex  [email protected]
Tel: 0033-55-5 452232
summary:
Several fibre treatments have been used to improve fibre /matrix
interface in natural fibre composites using raw mineral materials
as the matrix. This work examines the effect of fibre treatments
on mechanical properties and moisture absorption for hemp
reinforced clay containing composites.
ABSTRACT:
14
Investigations of the use of a mussel-inspired
compatibilizer to improve the matrix-fiber
adhesion of a biocomposite
A Bourmaud, A le Duigou, G Raj & C Baley
Laboratoire Ingénierie des Matériaux de Bretagne (LIMATB),
Université de Bretagne Sud, Rue de Saint Maudé, BP 92116,
56321 Lorient Cedex, France, [email protected] 00 (33)
02 97 87 45 05
13
summary:
Extraction and processing of the application for
natural fibre arts
In this study, we have experiment a new mussel-inspired treatment
in order to improve the matrix-fiber adhesion of a poly-(lactid
acid)/hemp fiber biocomposite. The quality of the treatment was
characterized by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning
electronic microscopy (SEM,) surface energy measurements and
tensile tests.
María Gabriela Punín Burneo. Universidad Tecnica Particular De
Loja – Ecuador, Apartado postal: 11 01 608  [email protected]
Tel: 593 7 2570275 (2123)
15
In order to develop environment-friendly materials, natural
bast fibers have been successfully used as reinforcement for
composites materials. These renewable and biodegradable fibers
have a low density and a low cost. Therefore, they are interesting
for various applications, such as in building materials.
Nevertheless, the presence of fibers in the fiber/binder composites
induces a delay in the setting time of the hydraulic binder and
may lead to a modification of the hydration of the silicate phases.
Moreover, the alkaline and basic environment modifies the
chemical composition of fibers.
Our researches consist in optimizing the physico-chemical
exchanges at the fiber/clay interface, in concentrated suspensions
of cellulosic hemp fibers, clay minerals and hydraulic lime. Our
aim is to increase the cohesion between the mineral matrix and
the cellulosic fibers through chemical treatment. We used grafting
of organic molecules presenting functional groups able to form
chemical bonds between fibers and clay platelet surfaces. In
fact, the strengthening of fiber/clay interface may protect fibers
against the alkaline attacks and the fiber hydration, which in
P
turn may improve the mechanical and physical properties of the
final product. Grafting was performed by silane coupling agents
including reactive functions (carbonyl, amine, acrylate) on raw
fibers and clay platelets suspensions. Si-O-C chemical bonds
and Si-O-Si inorganic network between the hydroxyl groups of
hemp fibers (or of clay platelet surfaces) and silanes have been
characterized by different techniques (infrared spectroscopy,
differential thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle and zetapotential measurements). Results show that the grafted quantity
(on hemp or clay surface) depends on the initial concentration and
the chemical structure of the organosilanes. Measurements of the
impact of the chemical treatment on the mechanical properties of
the final composite are currently being developed.
16
Processing of wet preserved hemp to fibre
boards in a Pilot Plant
H-J Gusovius. Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering PotsdamBornim, Department of Post Harvest Technology, Max-Eyth-Allee 100/
14469 Potsdam-Bornim, Germany  Tel: +49-(0)331-5699-313 /-849
[email protected]  www.atb-potsdam.de
ABSTRACT:
•••
POSTERS
The conventional production of natural fibres from e.g. hemp
or flax is based on field drying and retting of fibre straw. At the
usual harvest time in September, weather conditions are often
problematical for the processing of harvested hemp. A weatherindependent post harvest technique is under investigation at the
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering (ATB). The harvest of
hemp by means of a chopper followed by anaerobic storage is
favourable for the farmer because the weather risk can be avoided.
Additional steps are the same as for ensiling of fodder. As a further
advantage of this novel processing technology, the whole plant
material will be processed to final products like insulation materials
and fibre boards or semi products for injection moulding. A pilot
plant with a processing capacity of 1 t per hour wet preserved fibre
material has been built up at the ATB and is tested at present.
Pilot plant for the processing of wet preserved hemp
The technology of the pilot plant enables the processing of
different fibre plants from agriculture (e.g. hemp, flax, kenaf) and
forestry. The realized process is a modified dry/half-dry process
from wood industry adapted to the processing of hemp silage at
reduced energy consumption (Fig. 1).
Figure 1: Process flow for the processing of hemp silage and other fibre plants
hemp silage
defibration
drying
binder
application
fleece
forming
hot
pressing
fire board
/compact
RESULTS:
The pilot plant has been put into operation in March 2007 and is
tested at present (Fig. 2). First samples such as high and medium
density fibre boards have been produced from material mixtures of
hemp and wood. According to the current results, the mechanical
properties of these samples are comparable with the properties of
commercial products made of wood fibres. Silage-like odours of
the raw material can be disadvantageous for several end products.
First trials have shown that the novel processing technology
is appropriate to reduce the content of odorous components.
Butyric acids and other odorous acids are released to the exhaust
air by means of the thermal treatment of the raw material in the
defibration and drying stage of the process. Therefore, end
products do not have any unfavourable silage-like odours.
Experiences from construction and testing of a novel fibre
processing plant have shown that wet preserved hemp can be
processed to high quality fibre boards. The typical weather risk
of the hemp harvest can be largely eliminated for the farmer.
Also other fibre plants from agriculture and forestry or mixtures
of different raw materials can be processed in the pilot plant at
reasonable costs. The novel technology is appropriate to establish
decentralized processing plants at farm level. Main advantages of
such plants for hemp processing will be the alternative income for
the farmer, the environmentally sound production of fibre boards
and the enrichment in crop rotation.
17
Textile innovation and sustainable development:
fabrics of the future
Lois Pittman. Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street,
Nottingham NG1 4BU  [email protected]
ABSTRACT:
This practice led project explores ways of using sustainable textile
fibres, through creative experiments with natural fibres and closedloop synthetics, to produce sustainable textile products. It will
explore the impact of newly developed natural fibres and expand
current understanding of the discursive and aesthetic contexts of
sustainable textile products.
This practice-led project explores innovative ways of using newly
developed natural fibres, closed-loop synthetics and Biomimetics
to identify and advance their use and in sustainable textile
products. The introduction of sustainable textile fibres produced
from the bio-polymer process on protein based sources like milk
and soya bean, has resulted in new fibres which present new
opportunities to explore their potential application within fashion
and interiors.
Closed-loop production techniques, challenge designers and
presents opportunities to explore innovative approaches in
creating new appeal for the products they design. This extends to
consumer expectation and perception of products which now have
an extended, multi-functional role in everyday life.
The environmental impact of the application of newly developed
textiles products has lasting consequences. Recent eco-aware
design literature indicates that designers could use nature as
a means to identify alternative approaches to sustainability of
textile design. Biomimetics, uses nature as a design philosophy
in response to identified need. Biological research has revealed
a firm foundation on which to base theoretical and practical
development of high performance textile products.
Textile designers’ newly identified responsibility towards the
extended life-cycle of the products they design, has been discrete,
undetermined. Now tentative articulation of their critical awareness
is crucial to the further advancement of design thinking. This
practice-based research project aspires to contribute to the
current knowledge of textile designers’ approach to design.
18
Natural aligned fibres and textiles for use
in structural composite applications
I Roig, S Fita & R Llorens. Technological Institute of Plastics,
AIMPLAS, C/ Gustave Eiffel, 4 (València Parc Tecnològic) – 46980
Paterna, Spain  [email protected]
SUMMARY:
NATEX project is focused on the development of aligned textiles
from natural fibres that are suitable for use as high-strength
reinforcing fabrics to produce structural composite materials. This
includes the incorporation of orientated woven natural fibres in both
bio-derived thermoplastics and thermoset resins, to produce hightech products from renewable resources.
ABSTRACT:
NATEX project will allow increasing the mechanical properties of
bio-composites and introducing them in applications with high
mechanical requirements in different sectors, such as transport,
energy, agricultural machinery and shipbuilding.
Considering the importance of the NATEX final application sectors,
the versatility of use of the fabrics in conventional processes, and
the current limitations on the use of natural fibres in composites,
it is expected that the project results contribute to demonstrate
that the replacement of the currently used traditional textiles and
non-textiles by natural textiles in the composites sector is feasible
provided that these natural reinforcements have good properties
and competitive costs
The main innovations in NATEX project are:

Modification of the fibre surface to obtain the desired interface
properties when combined with the polymer matrix.

New spinning process to reduce the yarns’ twisting during the
textile manufacturing process, increasing the fibre volume
fraction and the wetting of the fibres. This is going to increase
the mechanical properties of the yarns.

To develop new weaving techniques in order to improve
impregnation and to obtain innovative 3D textiles.

To develop new commingling and film stacking for thermoplastic
composites, for improving the permeability of the composite
and to obtain well mingled yarns.
Besides, several resin processing methods are being adapted to fit
them to the characteristics of the modified fibres: Vacuum bagging,
Compression moulding, Infusion and Resin Transfer Moulding.
As a result, numerous advantages will be obtained:
 Aligned natural fibres with improved properties: good impregnation,
improved interface area between fibres and matrix, homogeneous
fibres orientation, reduction of moisture uptake, high and
homogeneous quality fibres,
 Reduced twist and linear density of the yarn,
 Or suitable fibre architecture minimising the nesting
The numerous advantages of the manufactured composites with
natural fibres could significantly contribute to the growth that is
expected in textile production and will accelerate the predicted
growth ratio for the next 10 years period near 5%. The NATEX
project has received funding from the European Community’s
Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant
agreement nº 214467.
experiments . As high throughput rates of min. 3 t h-1 with a high
reliability have to be realized with modern processing lines the
capacity of the cleaning lines has to be increased. Comb shakers low-cost machines from traditional long fibre cleaning – are proved
to have the highest potential to fulfil the requirements of modern
short fibre cleaning.
Based on a mass flow and screening model a prototype of a improved
and reliable comb shaker was designed and manufactured. A input
mass flow of up to 1,6 t h-1 fibre/shive mixture can be realized by
remaining shive content of less than 5 m-%. As a result of this work,
the number of process steps necessary for short fibre production
has been essentially reduced. Process lines using the novel
decortication system in combination with modified comb shakers
need only two cleaning steps for the production of high quality
fibres from hemp. Thus, investment and operational costs for new
process lines can be reduced.
20
19
An innovative concept of fibre plant processing with
cost efficient cleaning of natural sibres
Chemisorption of protein reactive
indoor air pollutants by wool
R Pecenka, Ch Fürll, Th Hoffmann, H-J Gusovius. Leibniz-Institute
of Agricultural Engineering (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469
Potsdam, Germany  [email protected]
Tel: 0049-331-5699316.
G Wortmann, St Thomé1, R Sweredjuk2, G Zwiener3, F-J
Wortmann. Textiles and Paper, School of Materials, University of
Manchester, Manchester, UK  [email protected]
Tel: 0161- 3063174. 1 DWI an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Aachen, D, 2
renopan AG, Bad Honnef, D, 3 eco-Umweltinstitut , Cologne, D
SUMMARY:
SUMMARY:
A new technology for bast fibre plant decortication and processing
was developed at the ATB and tested in a pilot plant. The line
included all steps from straw bale opening to cleaning and
refining of end products. Especially the technological principles
of decortication (based on hammer mill) and of fibre cleaning (by
comb shaker) were essentially enhanced and improved.
Sheep’s wool was used to improve indoor air quality. Wool as
a protein fiber shows physi- and chemisorption especially of
formaldehyde, which results in permanent binding of the pollutant.
ABSTRACT:
Based on the discussion on declining and price fluctuations for
fossil resources an increasing demand on renewable raw materials
like natural fibres has to be recognized. Improvements at all stages
of the value added chain from cultivation to industrial utilization are
needed to supply cost and quality competitive fibre materials.
A new technology for bast fibre plant decortication and processing
was developed at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering
Potsdam Bornim and tested in a pilot plant 2001 to 2006. The
line included all steps from straw bale opening to cleaning and
refining of end products. Especially the technological principles of
decortication (based on a hammer mill) and of fibre cleaning (by a
comb shaker) were enhanced and improved.
By reviewing the state-of-the-art of technologies for bast fibre
processing it became clear that the requirements of modern
industrial fibre applications with traditional technologies and
machines for decortication as well as cleaning of fibres and shives
could not be fulfilled. Beside the development of an innovative
decortication technology (by means of impact stress) especially the
step of fibre cleaning was investigated based on comprehensive
abstract:
In industrialized countries people spend up to 90% of their time
indoors. Indoor air pollutants, namely aldehydes, play a dominant
role as wide spread, irritating and/or sensitizing agents, potentially
connected with the phenomenon of “sick building syndrome”.
One possible method for optimizing the hygienic standards of
interior air quality is to use sheep’s wool as a reactive absorbent
for toxic agents. Wool is a protein fiber. It is well known that, wool
fibres are able to take up water and other small polar molecules in
large quantities. In the case of protein-reactive molecules, mainly
formaldehyde, both physi- and chemisorption take place.
Systematic laboratory experiments of aldehyde uptake from air
by wool and the differentiation between physi- and chemisorption
of, namely, formaldehyde was investigated with respect to the
use of wool in interior rooms as a means of improving air quality.
The influence of room climate parameters such as temperature,
humidity, as well as exposure time on physi- and chemisorption
of formaldehyde was examined by absorption experiments and
proteochemical analysis of formaldehyde contaminated wool.
The most important result is the difference in time dependence of
physi- and chemisorption of formaldehyde. Physisorption takes
place very fast, while chemisorption is relatively slow, resulting in
covalent cross-linking of wool proteins. Further investigations have
been carried out with other airborne, harmful substances such as
various aldehydes, ozone, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.
The cleansing ability of wool for indoor air has successfully been
demonstrated through numerous field experiments. Results of air
quality restoration in prefabricated houses and in official buildings
such as kindergardens by incorporation of wool continue to show
drastically lowered formaldehyde concentrations.
21
Physical and mechanical properties of non-woven
fabric composites of coir and PP fibers
S Greer*, E Teipel* and W Bradley**, Whole Tree Inc* and Baylor
University**. One Bear Place 97356, Waco, TX 76798, USA
[email protected]* , [email protected]* and Walter_
[email protected]**
SUMMARY:
Non-woven fabric composite felt with 50% polypropylene and 50%
polyester is widely used in compression molded parts for automobiles
and a variety of applications in the building construction industry. This
poster presentation will compare the physical and mechanical properties
of non-woven fabric composites of coir and polypropylene fibers to
composites of polypropylene and polyester fibers.
ABSTRACT:
Whole Tree inc. is replacing polypropylene/polyester composite
materials used for a variety of applications such as building
construction and automotive with more environmentally friendly
coconut (coir) fiber based non-woven fabric composites.
The environmentally friendly coconut fibers have a superior
combination of fiber diameter, strength, modulus, and ductility
compared to the synthetic, petroleum based polyester fibers
currently used in most automotive composites for truck liners, door
panels and floor boards. The combination of fiber diameter and
mechanical properties in coconut fibers make it possible to produce
greener, lower cost non-woven fabric composites with sufficient
formability and potentially superior mechanical properties.
Broader Impacts/Commercial Potential
Whole Tree Inc. is a triple bottom line company, focusing on (1)
profits, (2) poor people, and (3) planet Earth. One example of the
broader potential market for the trunk liners and trunk decking in
Europe and the US is 5.1 kg/car for 36 million cars per year, or
184 million kg/year, worth more than $240 million annually. With
the current emphasis on environmentally friendly markets within
the building constructing and the automotive marketplace, this less
expensive, greener, coconut-fiber-based, engineered composite
material has the potential to achieve a significant share of these
markets. There are over 10 million poor coconut farmers (income ~
$500/year) who own 95% of the coconuts harvested annually in the
world. Approximately 85% of the coconut husks, which contain the
coconut fiber, are burned because there is insufficient demand for
this biomass. The successful development of coconut fiber based
automotive composites alone could provide an additional $100$200 million of annual income for these farmers. The successful
marketplace deployment of coconut fiber composites will also save
from two to four million barrels of oil per year.
S
•••
SPONSORS
Materials Knowledge
Transfer Network
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was
created in October 2008, to bring together:

energy policy (previously with BIS - the Department for Business,
Innovation & Skills), and

climate change mitigation policy (previously with Defra - the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
We face unprecedented challenges to our environment, our
economy, and the future security of our energy supplies – and
the decisions we make now will affect the planet and our way of
life for generations to come. DECC exists to tackle these
challenges.
Our three overall objectives are to:

ensure our energy is secure, affordable and efficient

bring about the transition to a low-carbon Britain

achieve an international agreement on climate change at
Copenhagen in December 2009
Natural fibres and the wide range of materials and products derived
from them can play a key part in developing a low-carbon economy
in the UK, as set out in the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and Low
Carbon Industrial Strategy, published on 15 July 2009.
They can deliver significant GHG reductions, provide important new
business and employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas,
and contribute to a range of other sustainability objectives.
DECC sponsor the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), the
UK’s National Centre for renewable materials and technologies. The
NNFCC provide independent advice and information to industry,
Government and the general public on renewable materials, including
natural fibres. Dr John Williams, head of polymers and materials at
the NNFCC will be speaking at the event.
One of the key roles for fibres in the low-carbon economy will be in
the use of biocomposites to produce strong but lightweight materials,
particularly for vehicles. DECC’s Bio:Energy & Materials team are
working with industry and academia to promote the development and
use of these materials.
Lord Hunt
Lord Hunt is Minister of State for the
Department of Energy and Climate
Change (DECC), and Deputy Leader of
the House of Lords. He leads for DECC
on ensuring the UK has a secure, lowcarbon and affordable energy supply.
This encompasses DECC’s work on
renewables. He previously served
as a Minister in the Department of
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, so
has an understanding of some of the other issues relating to natural
fibres, including sustainability and agriculture.
The Materials Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) facilitates advanced
materials and engineering developments that
underpin innovation in key application sectors by:
Knowledge
Transfer
Network

Raising awareness of materials development,
manufacturing
processes, design concepts and assembly
Materials
technologies

Exchanging and creating knowledge and information about
advances in materials and process technologies

Encouraging and brokering collaboration between companies,
universities and other R&D organisations and supporting them to
access public and private finance

Influencing Government policy and technology strategy by
helping to shape national policy, funding schemes and vision in
line with industry needs.
The Materials KTN brings together under one umbrella materialsrelated knowledge networks covering a wide range of materials,
such as natural materials, polymers, composites, ceramics, technical
textiles and metals. It also covers materials-related technologies,
such as rapid manufacturing, powder processing, surface
engineering and smart materials and structures. The KTN has wide
coverage of product design, sustainable materials for transport
applications and for packaging. Current membership is about 9000
individuals from over 4600 organisations.
For further information please visit www.materialsktn.net
InCrops – Creating an innovation cluster
in the East of England
The InCrops Enterprise Hub is a
not for profit company set up and
based at the University of East
Anglia. The InCrops project has
5 years of funding (2008-2013) from EEDA and the European Union
(ERDF) to develop an enterprise hub linking the region’s top plant
science research with businesses looking to develop new products
from biorenewables for the marketplace.
By 2013, the scheme aims to have helped SMEs to create 140
new jobs and to support entrepreneurs to start 80 new businesses,
whilst bringing in €3M of new public and private sector funding to
the region. The Enterprise Hub operates a virtual network across the
whole of the East of England with staff located at seven sites with a
distributed operating structure.
Our aims are to: Stimulate the commercialisation of new
biorenewable and low carbon products from alternative and non-food
crops; build on the East of England’s world-class research capability
in plant and crop science; facilitate supply chain development,
market integration and product innovation; and support the business
and commercial sector and stimulate sustainable economic growth.
The InCrops Enterprise Hub provides specialist business support
to companies, SMEs, micro-businesses and entrepreneurs based
in the East of England; develops applied and collaborative industryled projects with academic partners, develops new produces and
processes for the exploitation of alternative and non-food crops
and promotes natural and renewable technologies into the low
carbon economy.
We support a spectrum of market sectors including green chemicals
and biopolymers, natural fibres, composites and nano-materials,
the built environment, personal care, transportation and low carbon
vehicles, bioenergy, biomass heat and power, biopharming and high
value chemicals. We have in-house experts in those sectors and are
linked to the expertise of our partners. Additionally, InCrops has an
expertise in Life Cycle Analysis.
For further information visit www.incropsproject.co.uk/
The London Sisal Association
(Established 1953)
Sisal is a Sustainable Environmentally Friendly
Green Natural Vegetable Fibre
The objectives of the Association are:

The promotion of trade in Sisal fibre and the Sisal products of
sisal growing countries.

The collection and dissemination of statistical and other
information relating to the trade.

The promoting, supporting, or opposing of legislative or other
measures affecting the aforesaid interests.

The maintenance and operation of standard forms of contract.

The doing of all such other things as may be beneficial to the
trade, or incidental to the attainment of the above objectives.
The Association provides an efficient and dependable marketing service
to producers and consumers of Sisal and promotes the best interests of
the Sisal trade as a whole for the mutual benefit of all concerned.
2009 is here. The United Nations International Year of Natural Fibres!!!
“DISCOVER SISAL”. Discover this wonderful crop. Discover all the
very useful products mankind can derive from this natural renewable
resource!!! Discover how this plant changes the lives of millions of
people around the world. visit www.londonsisalassociation.org
NNFCC
Your partner in the low carbon economy
The NNFCC is the UK’s national centre for renewable
materials. We help players in biorenewables visualise how they fit into
the big picture, not just today but in the future. Using our unbiased
objective expertise, we forge links between government, industry and
research to get natural and bio-based fibre products to market.
We work in:

Construction - Co-ordinator of The Renewable House Project

Biocomposites

Renewable polymers

Biobased content certification
Contact our Polymers and Materials Sector Manager,
Dr John Williams
[email protected]
+44(0)1904 435182
The Renewable House at the
BRE Innovation Park
Join our new Composites
Thematic Working Group
Become part of the network
that brings together the whole
supply chain to overcome
barriers to the uptake of natural
fibres.
Launching at Natural Fibres ’09
on 15 December.
ADAS
ADAS provides an unsurpassed range
of independent scientific research and
consultancy services encompassing
the agriculture, environment and rural
management industries.
Novel crops from ADAS: Background
The agronomy, use and economic viability of novel crops is
addressed from within the ADAS Centre for Sustainable Crop
Management (SCM), providing first-class research and consultancy
in the area of sustainable crop production. SCM is involved in utilising
crop physiology, biochemistry, genetics and crop protection expertise
to bring about improvements and solutions for businesses that
produce and utilise crop and plantderived
raw materials. We are able to make an impact throughout the supply
chain from farmers & growers through to processors, manufacturers,
retailers and distribution companies as well as provide legislation,
regulatory and crop assurance advice and expertise. The Centre
operates using the ISO9001:2000 Quality Assurance System.
What does ADAS offer?
We provide expertise in the following disciplines:





Crop Biochemistry & Physiology (glasshouse and
field-grown crops)
Crop Production Systems : e.g. maximising levels of specific
ingredients and/or standardising of raw materials
Lab facilities inc. GC-MS, HPLC for analysis of plant materials
Crop assurance, traceability
Co-ordination & management of multi-partner research
projects
For more information, visit www.adas.co.uk
Knowledge
Transfer
Network
Modern Built Environment Knowledge
Transfer Network
The Modern Built Environment Knowledge Transfer
Network (MBE KTN) is funded by the Technology
Strategy Board to increase the exploitation of
innovation in the built environment for demonstrated business benefit.
Modern Built
Environment
The MBE KTN works with its members to

identify industry challenges;

showcase potential innovations;

catalyse new collaborations;

facilitate access to funding opportunities; and

assist members connect with each other.
The KTN is currently focussing on four key themes to establish where
innovation can add real value to the built environment.

Energy & Carbon Efficiency

Process Efficiency

Climate Change Adaptation

Life Extension and Retrofit
Visit www.mbektn.co.uk for more information and to engage with
the MBE KTN community.
BRE
BRE has been Building a better world for
almost 90 years through cutting edge
research, consultancy and testing services.
Our unrivalled knowledge in regard to sustainability and innovation
is now used across the construction industry and in the corporate
world creating better buildings, communities and businesses. BRE
is part of the BRE Group of companies owned by the BRE Trust,
a registered charity. The profits made by BRE go to the BRE Trust
and are used to conduct key research projects that advance our
knowledge of the built environment.
As the construction industry rises to the challenge of building in
a more sustainable way, the use of natural fibres has taken on a
renewed significance in the sector. BRE is currently active in this area
in several ways

We are a partner on the InCrops (Innovation in Crops) Enterprise
Hub, a new science and knowledge transfer initiative supporting
new applications for non-food crops sector in the East of England.

Earlier this year we launched the Renewable House on the BRE
Innovation Park. Built by the NNFCC, this highly sustainable
house which uses the hemp plant as its primary wall material
achieved Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

A low energy pre-fabricated straw bale demonstration house
has recently been built on University of Bath campus as part
of a research project which is being led by the BRE Centre for
Innovative Construction Materials (a partnership between BRE
and University of Bath)
For more information, please visit www.bre.co.uk

Launch of the Composites Thematic Working Group
15 December
Join the Composites Thematic Working Group and bring
biocomposites to the mainstream.

The NNFCC’s Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) bring together the
whole supply chain to actively address opportunities and
barriers to the uptake of renewable products.

We work directly with the UK Government Departments DECC
(Department of Energy and Climate Change) and Defra
(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We facilitate the Renewable Materials LINK programme

Our TWGs represent the fundamental science base, agriculture,
manufacturers, processors, end users and government. They
act as a recognised focal point to facilitate technology, identify
barriers to further market development and represent a
harmonised industry voice proposing strategies to overcome
these hurdles.

By joining the Composites TWG at this early stage you will be
able to help set the agenda for the group and define its aims
and key activities.
To find out more about the Composites Thematic Working Group,
please join Dr John Williams on 15th December at 8pm the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 1 Carlton House Terrace,
London. Refreshments will follow this launch.
Dr John Williams
[email protected]
+44(0)1904 435182
www.nnfcc.co.uk

Lean, Mean and Green:
The World’s First
Environmentally Friendly
Racing Car
Public Lecture
15 December
Dr Kerry Kirwan, University
of Warwick, UK
The new WorldFirst racecar
is a clever piece of lateral
thinking. It is the first Formula
3 racing car designed and
made from sustainable and
renewable materials, putting
the world first by effectively
managing the planet’s
resources. Dr Kirwan will
actively demonstrate in a
lively public lecture how
this joined up approach of
apparently disparate arts,
sciences and engineering
can result in something
ground breaking like the
World First F3 racing car - a
much more environmentally
friendly vehicle than most
road cars, let alone racing
vehicles. Being green does
not mean being boring or
stepping back in time!
The lecture will be followed
by the launch of the new
NNFCC Thematic Working
Group on Composites
materials, presented by John
Williams of NNFCC at 8pm.
Refreshments will follow.
Booking essential, contact
dawn.bonfi[email protected]

Visit to Innovation Park
BRE, Watford
16 December
The park features a
number of demonstration
properties showcasing
modern methods of
construction, near zero
carbon homes, and
over 200 innovative and
emerging technologies.
Of particular interest to
delegates of Natural Fibres
‘09 are the Renewable
Hemp House and the
Natural House. Those
interested in attending this
visit should confirm their
interest when booking their
place at the conference.
Places will be allocated
on a first come, first serve
basis. Coaches will leave
London at 09.30 and return
by 14.30. Refreshments are
also provided.
Organised by
In conjunction with
Partners
Knowledge
Transfer
Network
Materials
Knowledge
Transfer
Network
Modern Built
Environment
Media Partners
AMERICAN
SCIENTIFIC
PUBLISHERS
Journal of
Biobased Materials
and Bioenergy