Nanocellulose Binders for Fibre Preforms: Creating the Building Blocks of High Performance Sustainable Composites

We have developed using our EPRSC grant (EP/F032005/1) an elegant, intrinsically scalable and cost-effective technology for binding fibres together in order to create an in-plane non-woven fibre mat, utilising bacterial nanocellulose - itself a structural reinforcement, with no extra chemical steps involved during the production. The invention was originally developed for binding natural fibres - such as sisal and hemp - to create "truly green", hierarchical composites. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is currently produced on commercial scale (10t/a) for cosmetic applications by fzmb GmbH. BC has very impressive properties, both in paper form (15 GPa tensile modulus) and as an individual nanofibre (114 GPa Young's modulus). Alternatively, nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) is also available at the pilot scale. There is sufficient evidence in the literature that nanocellulose nanocomposites with much improved properties can be made. In addition to this, it has been shown that hierarchical, i.e. fibre reinforced, nanocomposites can be produced using BC. The previous work has resulted in two patents. The proposed project will demonstrate a slurry dipping or "paper-making" process to produce short (non-woven) fibre preforms. The advantage of our process is that short, long and even continuous fibres can be utilised to produce fibre preforms, which can be utilised in conventional composite making processes. The fibres, which can be used can be either be natural or synthetic. The ideal candidates for this project are fibres that can only with difficulties be formed in to mechanically strong fibre preforms with the required strength for downstream handling. We will focus on scaling up our development of producing fibre preforms and provide a range of value-added properties to this technology. Examples will be selected to satisfy the requirement of the industry and to stimulate new applications for fibre reinforced (nano)composites. We believe that our technology can be licensed to composites manufacturers who will benefit from a new generation of value added products and a major competitive advantage.

This Follow-on Fund is designed to translate our invention of producing mechanically robust fibre preforms and hierarchical nanocomposites from the proof-of-concept scientific and engineering stage at the fundamental level into commercial development. Our industrial supporters/partners, APC Composite and Formax, will provide a detailed understanding of the materials, design, process and application requirements of the fibre preforms and composites to be developed and thereby will guide our research and help to avoid common pitfalls encountered with early stage composite applications. The partner will help to demonstrate already within the time frame of the project commercial relevance by designing and manufacturing an early stage demonstrator: a chair, which can be used in a hotel lobby or in racing sport applications. In this case it all about the appearance; the composites have to be free of surface cracks and voids. The excitement of our partners for our idea paired with their expertise and their customer's demands and the short term nature of this FoF project with the clear stir towards potential commercial exploitation does provide strong confidence that they will engage with us and help to make this project a success. Our partners will benefit directly by gaining access to new technology, either through directly licensing intellectual property developed during the programme, or through subsequent co-development projects. Technology transfer will be facilitated by specialist teams at Imperial Innovations Ltd., who have extensive experience in balancing the need to protect inventions while encouraging commercial exploitation. Our partners will therefore gain know-how allowing them to develop products, leading to a competitive advantage, and ultimately, wealth creation, which will befit society. More generally society will benefit from the emergence of high performance sustainable composites utilising waste products and renewable raw materials. The weight reduction achieved by using more composites for instance in transport applications will offer improved fuel efficiency.
Through commercialisation activities, the Imperial will benefit from additional revenue that they might invest to bring forward other new technologies.
Composite materials have a great exposure and are therefore high profile. With the success of the project, the UK will be making a valuable contribution to the increased usage of composites, which will enhance our reputation in this area of research.