Development and Characterization of Bio-Materials for Sustainable Construction

全球越来越关注对可持续新材料的需求。人们的兴趣正迫使工业改变他们对可回收、可生物降解的方法，并用可再生材料取代目前的石油材料。一些以石油塑料为基础的产品是可回收的，但很大一部分最终仍被丢弃在我们的垃圾填埋场。这项研究将评估非食品相关的农业植物性纤维材料，如大麻、红麻和黄麻，与已被大豆、松树或蓖麻油等大量生物树脂取代的环氧树脂混合。将对小型和大型复合材料的性能(如拉伸、压缩、弯曲强度、夏比冲击韧性、循环疲劳和高低温耐久性)进行评估，以确定其作为土木工程建筑材料的适用性。将研究机械和化学材料相互作用的基本机制。新的市场应用可能包括空心管、用于快速施工的夹芯板、镶板、瓷砖、建筑壁板和现浇混凝土模板。

Attention has been growing globally on the need for new materials that are sustainable. Interest is forcing industry to change their approach to recyclability, bio-degradability and to replace current, oil-based materials with renewable ones. Some petroleum plastic based products are recyclable, but large portions still end up in our landfills. The research will evaluate non-food related agricultural plant-based fibre materials such as hemp, kenaf and jute mixed with an epoxy resin that has been substituted with a large percentage of bio-based resins such as soybean, pine or castor oils. The performance (e.g. tensile, compression, flexural bend strength, Charpy impact toughness, cyclic fatigue and high and low temperature durability) of small and larger scale composites will be evaluated to determine their suitability as civil engineering construction materials. The fundamental mechanisms of mechanical and chemical material interactions will be investigated. New market applications could include hollow tubes, sandwich panels for rapid construction, panelling, tiles, building siding and stay-in-place concrete forms.