GREENCO - Untapping the potential of GREEN COmposites by combining performance and environmental sustainability

Abstract:

The push towards more and more sustainable materials has given a strong impulse to research in the field of the so-called “green polymer composites”, namely composite materials made of a biodegradable polymer matrix filled with natural fibers. To date, the scientific community has mainly focused on the maximization of the performance of composites based on apparently sustainable raw materials. Despite some notable results, the actual “greenness” of such systems remains questionable. Pristine natural fibers generally require highly impacting pre-treatments to enhance fiber dispersibility and quality of the fiber-matrix interphase. Regarding the matrices, many bio-based and/or bioderived polymers are only marginally less impacting than many petroleum-based plastics. Moreover, the actual biodegradability of most green matrices is far from being proved. This calls into question the key-property that a truly sustainable green composite should possess, i.e., the possibility to degrade in a reasonable time if dispersed in the environment. GREENCO addresses these crucial issues by focusing on the role of the natural fibers, which, in addition to providing reinforcing action, can be engineered to ensure pro-degradative effect and reduce the overall carbon footprint. Owing to the complementary expertise of a close-knit research team, the challenge will be addressed at different level, from the rational selection of the raw materials (polymers and fibers) to their convenient pre-treatment(s) (e.g., enzymatic, microwave), up to the optimization of formulations that combine the unescapable features for large scale applications: adequate mechanical properties and genuine environmental sustainability. A systematic Design of Experiments is planned for elucidating the complex relationships between the multiple input variables (cellulose content of the fibers, surface treatment(s), fiber content) and the key output variables (mechanical properties, rheological behavior, biodegradability). Moreover, each step of GREENCO will be driven by the quantitative analysis of the environmental impact of materials and processes based on Life Cycle Assessment. GREENCO also aims at changing the approach towards green composites, whose performance can no longer be separated from their actual sustainability. This will be done by introducing a novel design principle grounded on the concept of “sustainability-weighed performance”, according to which lower performance can be accepted provided that sufficient environmental benefits are eventually achieved. Such an approach will be highly beneficial to the next generation of materials scientists/engineers, who will play a leading role in GREENCO.

Risultati attesi: 

The GREENCO project aims to design and produce optimized green composites that achieve a balanced equilibrium between technical performance and environmental sustainability. This will unlock their enormous, currently untapped potential across many industrial sectors. A key expected outcome is the formalization and application of the novel concept of "sustainability-weighted performance." This concept will combine technical performance data with environmental impact indicators for a more comprehensive evaluation of green composites.
Key ways GREENCO will achieve this include:
•Formalizing and applying the concept of "sustainability-weighted performance": this new design principle will quantitatively combine technical performance data with environmental impact indicators for a more comprehensive appraisal of green composites. It allows for accepting a potential reduction in mechanical performance if a clear environmental benefit is achieved;
• Creating "performance-sustainability maps": these maps will visualize the relationship between technical performance and a sustainability rating based on environmental impact indicators (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, primary energy demand);
•Integrating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) at every stage: each step of the project will be driven by quantitative LCA analysis, compliant with ISO standards (14040/44). This will quantify the environmental impact of materials and processes, providing essential information for decision-making and rigorous comparisons, paying special attention to fiber pre-treatments and end-of-life scenarios;
•Advancing scientific knowledge on "true greenness" and biodegradability: The project will clarify the actual "greenness" and biodegradability of green composites and the effectiveness of unconventional fiber treatments, providing clear and pragmatic conclusions for real industrial contexts.