CEL.CYCLE
Strategic direction of the programme is to exploit the potential of biomass for development of advanced materials and bio-based products, by creating new value chains for cascading utilisation of biomass. The programme is placed within priority area S4 (Slovenia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy) - The natural and traditional resources for the future, Networks for the transition to the circular economy, and is co-financed by EU Structural Funds in Slovenia. It comprises all of the identified focus areas and technologies: technologies for development of new bio -based materials, technologies for utilisation of secondary raw materials, and technologies for reuse of waste and production of energy from alternative sources.
The research team of FTPO is working in Section 3 Development of products with higher proportion of bio-based components and improved functionalities: construction, automotive, textile and electrical industry, more specifically on Development of lightweight polymer composites for automotive industry. Automotive industry trends points towards development of lightweight composite materials, which can help the industry to respond to increasingly stricter environmental standards. Research activities will focus on development of polymer composites with low- and high-temperature stability. Various lignocellulosic fibres will be added as an active component, to achieve desired mechanical properties and low mass (in macro-micro-nano order). In addition, fibres will be chemically modified and treated with bio-based modifying agents in order to improve interactions within a polymer matrix. Objective of these endeavours is fabrication of polymer composites with integrated lignocellulosic fibres for production of technically sophisticated automotive parts, with properties in-line with the market demands: competitively priced, lighter products, with a diminished effect on global warming, lower gas consumption and higher safety. Industrial prototype of a component of housing part, custom made for an industrial partner, will represent the result.
More about CELCYCLE, its’ partners and activities at celkrog.si
