Biobased materials

At the end of 2023, the 3-year BREPLA project, with a focus on Biobased REinforced PLAstics, came to an end. During this project, Sirris worked together with project partner Centexbel – VKC to promote the implementation of biocomposites in industry. In addition to knowledge transfer on the different types of natural fibres and biopolymers, optimisation of bicomponent PLA filaments and research into suitable additives and biocoatings, the project partners also developed four products as end demonstrators: a stool, step, case and tray were made to show the technical possibilities of biocomposites to companies. Here we show the end results and explain how these demonstrators are produced.

Flax and PLA (polylactic acid) are both materials based on renewable biological resources. This article reviews the possibilities of combining flax fibres and PLA polymer into a single biocomposite material, one of the most available biocomposite materials on the market. PLA, as a thermoplastic polymer, and flax fibre, a natural fibre with high mechanical properties, give this material an interesting edge with versatile possibilities.