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Composites

Composites UK announces call for papers for meeting on industrial biotechnology

Abstracts are invited, which explore topics around the subject of bioresins, their performance, and the challenges they face in industry.

11th December 2015

Innovation in Textiles
 |  Hemel Hempstead

Industrial, Sustainable

Abstracts of no more than 500 words are invited, which explore topics around the subject of bioresins, their performance, and the challenges they face in industry. Organisers also encourage case studies on successful commercial applications where bioresins are used.

The meeting will be hosted by the Biorenewables Development Centre at the University of York. Researchers from the BDC will be on hand to discuss possible collaborations and a tour of their facilities will be available on the day.

Biorefinery

The starting materials for a biocomposite, namely the resin and fibre, must first be extracted from biological sources. This may be done using traditional agricultural methods or in a modern biorefinery. Whilst plants form the bulk of the raw materials used to produce biobased substances there are animal and microbial sources which can be exploited.

Ideally, the sources used should not have any impact on food supply so emerging technologies should look to use wastes as a resource. Examples of biobased products which are already exploited in composite production include vegetable fibres (cotton, flax, jute etc.), nanocrystalline cellulose, polylactic acid, polyfurfuryl alcohol, cashew nut shell liquid, and epoxidised soya bean oil.

However, in some cases the market penetration of these materials is small with the products only being exploited in niche applications. More work is needed to help these and other products overcome the barriers to wider use, such as cost compared to petrochemical products and misconceptions over performance, quality assurance etc. Biorefineries offer the ability to synthesise new monomers which may produce differentiated products.

Composites UK

Composite manufacturers aim to reduce their carbon footprint by substituting petrochemicals with biobased materials, Composites UK reports. They may also wish to exploit the different properties which may be achieved by the use of novel monomers or additives. According to the association, industrial biotechnologists need to meet customers to better understand the demands of the applications which could exploit their products.

Composites UK is the official trade association for the UK composites industry. The association acts to encourage continuous growth and development of the industry, promoting the best-practice use of composites materials. Its role is to bring companies throughout the supply chain together creating partnerships, as well as creating a unified voice to drive the industry forward, benefiting all of those involved.

www.compositesuk.co.uk

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