Fibrenet forms a unique collection of projects
The research in Fibrenet consortium takes place in the crossroads of three application areas and various methods that span over large range of different size scales as illustrated in the figure below. The figure also presents the distribution of our Individual Research Projects (IRPs) in the different crossroads.
The application areas represented in Fibrenet and related to bio-based fibres are biocomposites, Overviewpaper and packaging applications and biomedical applications. In our consortium, the biomedical applications concentrate on biomedical textiles, such as wound healing textiles, and cell scaffolds. All the application areas are important for the European industry although combining them in the fibre-based research is rather unique.
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Our aim is find commonly beneficial solutions to processing fibres and optimizing their properties - irresspective of the application area. In order to truly master the fibre poperties and their effect on the properties of the end-product the research spans over many size scales from naoscale functionalization and modelling to large scale production.
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In order to reach the objectives, a versatile set of know-how and organizations have been brought together under the Fibrenet consortium. The table below summarizes some of the core know-how and methods related to Fibrenet offered by participating organizations.
Functionalization and modification
| Biocomposites | Paper&packaging | Biomedical |
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TUG: fractionation and chemical/ physical modification of pulp fibres and fractions MON: surface treatment for fibre hydrophobisation for polypropylene composites KUL: fibre treatment to lower moisture uptake
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TUG :pilot coating machine BK: surface modification of wood fibres for formable packaging and barrier properties, active packaging surfaces KEM: modification of fibre surface properties with chemicals TEP: developing aseptic multilayer surfaces KTH: surface modification of model surfaces using well-defined chemistry
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UM: material preparation techniques, electrospinning, 3D and inkjet printing, fibre surface modification, binding and analysis of proteins/peptides/aminoacids LIT: surface modification of regenerated cellulose textile fibres with inorganic ceramic materials, metals, or metal oxide particles (lab & pilot scale) AMIBM: material preparation, chemical and physical modification of the material, fibre coating, wet spinning, electrospinning, 3D printing: BioTex: preparation of the aerogel material, fibre extrusion and fibre porosity modification |
Characterization
| Biocomposites | Paper&packaging | Biomedical |
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TUT: microrobotic characterization of mechanical properties and macroscopic characterization KTH: macroscopic characterization UM: surface characterization of fibres, wetting, chemical composition, charges, topography, swelling, mechanical tests of textile fibres TUG: morphological-, mechanical-, chemical-, sorption-, optical testing of fibre- and composite properties MON: mechanical (tensile strength and impact strength), optical- and surface testing of composites BCO: mechanical characterization of composite materials (tensile, bending), accelerated aging in humid environments KUL: combined physical-chemical-micromechanical characterisation of fibre-matrix interfaces, study of wetting, mechanical testing of fibres (e.g., optical strain mapping and µ-CT) |
TUT: microrobotic characterization of mechanical properties KTH: determination of molecular interaction between chemically modified model surfaces UM: wetting, surface topography, printability, oxygen and water vapour transmission measurements, mechanical tests TUG: testing for liquid interaction, optical-, mechanical-, structural- properties testing BK: fibre, paper, board, packaging, product KEM: physical characterization of papers and boards MON: testing of packaging materials under process conditions in bag filling and handling centre, industrial printing centre TEP: packaging
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TUT: microrobotic characterization of mechanical properties KTH: macroscopic characterization UM: physico-chemical surface characterization methods TUG: testing for liquid interaction, mechanical-, and structural- properties testing LIT: textile fibre, woven/non-woven testing according to industrial and consumer demands EDU: biological testing, viability of cells in the scaffolds AMIBM: chemical characterization of the material and in-vitro functionality tests for biomedical applications BioTex: in-vivo functionality characterization of the textile scaffolds
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Modelling
| Biocomposites | Paper&packaging | Biomedical |
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KTH: macro and micro mechanical modelling TUG: modelling of material constitutive behaviour TUT: continuum modelling of a micro-test KUL: nanoscale modelling of the elementary components of a fibre AMIBM: modelling of environmental impact
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KTH: modelling of the controlling factors for optimized adhesion between chemically treated surfaces TUG: modelling of material constitutive behaviour, process modelling for energy optimization BK: paper mechanics TEP: continuum scale modelling of paper in converting processes KUL: modelling at the sub-micrometer scale of the interactions between fibres, access to HPC facility AMIBM: modeling of environmental impact |
KTH: macro and micro mechanical modelling TUG: modelling of material constitutive behaviour TUT: continuum modelling of interfacial de-cohesion KUL: nanoscale modelling of the elementary components of a fibre UM: viscoelastic modelling of surface bound thin layers
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Process development, production
| Biocomposites | Paper&packaging | Biomedical |
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BK: development of forming solutions for thermoforming and deep drawing MON: industrial production- and converting process development for wood-plastic composites UM: porous substrates by freeze drying, foaming, fibre manufacturing and coating in the pilot scale (electrospinning, 3D printing) BCO: processing of bio-based composite parts with most of composite manufacturing methods
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TUG: pilot coating machine BK: development of processes for highly formable packaging (FibreForm®) and packaging materials (liquid packaging, sacks and grocery bags, corrugated board, etc.) KEM: development and application of dry strength agents TEP: developing processes and machinery for product packaging UM: paper and textile coating, lamination/impregnation
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UM: pilot and lab scale electrospinning, 3D and inkjet hydrogel and fibre composite printing, spin coating, fibre impregnation LIT: development of spinning process and production of modified yarns with FIR activity for biomedical application EDU: graft production AMIBM: development and processing of the bio-based materials for different medical applications, wet spinning- and coating facilities for production of bio-based medical fibres ITA: technology transfer from bench to industry |