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The Sustainability Challenges in Polymer Composite Materials: Bio-Based Materials, Recycling, and Life Cycle

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2021) | Viewed by 13940

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marco L. Longana

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Guest Editor

Bristol Composites Institute, University of Bristol, Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
Interests: recycling; sustainable composites; life cycle engineering; bio-based constituents; circular economy; automated manufacturing functionalised composites

Prof. Dr. Angela D. La Rosa

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Guest Editor

Department of Manufacturing and Civil Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Teknologivegen 9, 2815 Gjøvik, Norway
Interests: life cycle assessment for energy systems; bio-based; recyclable matrices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Linn Berglund

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Guest Editor

Wood and Bionanocomposite group, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
Interests: wood and bionanocomposites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 12th Sustainable Development Goal, set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 and intended to be achieved by 2030, is to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”. Though polymer composite materials, with their high specific mechanical properties and environmental resistance, are an effective weight-saving solution, they are generally traditionally oil-based, obtained through energy-intensive and resource-demanding processes and hardly recyclable. To be able to meet our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, it is necessary to implement, and unequivocally evaluate, sustainable scientific and technical solutions and implement the circular economy model.

This Special Issue of Sustainability is dedicated to the work of research groups around the world in the field of composite materials and is open to, but not only, articles regarding the following topics:

Bio-based and naturally sourced raw materials (e.g., natural fibres, bio-resins and 100% natural composites), their mechanical or functional behaviour, their environmental resistance and the related production and manufacturing processes.
Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Engineering studies aimed at investigating the environmental impact of traditional and novel composite materials.
Recycling of polymer composites, from the current advancements in the reclamation and remanufacturing processes of traditional materials to the development of a next generation of more readily recyclable materials and relative processes.
Technical solutions to favour the implementation of the Circular Economy, i.e., material selection and design approaches to repair, reuse and recycle composite material structures.
Environmental impact reduction of composites through the identification of new raw material sources, the development of less energy-demanding manufacturing processes and the reduction of ancillary materials usage.

The overall ambition of this Special Issue is to propose a holistic view of the lifecycle of polymer composites and to promote the choice of more sustainable solutions.

Dr. Marco L. Longana
Prof. Dr. Angela D. La Rosa
Dr. Linn Berglund
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Recycling, Reclamation & Remanufacturing
Life Cycle Engineering & Life Cycle Assessment
Circular Economy
Bio-based Constituents, Natural Fibres & Bio-resins
Recyclable and biodegradable materials
Design for Sustainability

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 5589 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Life Cycle Assessment of the High Performance Discontinuous Fibre (HiPerDiF) Technology and Its Operation in Various Countries

by Amy M. Fitzgerald, Nathan Wong, Annabel V. L. Fitzgerald, David A. Jesson, Ffion Martin, Richard J. Murphy, Tim Young, Ian Hamerton and Marco L. Longana

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1922; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14031922 - 08 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2632

Abstract

Composite waste is a growing issue due to the increased global demand for products manufactured from these advanced engineering materials. Current reclamation methods produce short length fibres that, if not realigned during remanufacture, result in low-value additives for non-structural applications. Consequently, to maximise the economic and functional potential, fibre realignment must occur. The High Performance Discontinuous Fibre (HiPerDiF) technology is a novel process that produces highly aligned discontinuous fibre-reinforced composites, which largely meet the structural performance of virgin fibres, but to date, the environmental performance of the machine is yet to be quantified. This study assessed the environmental impacts of the operation of the machine using life cycle assessment methodology. Electrical energy consumption accounts for the majority of the greenhouse gas emissions, with water consumption as the main contributor to ecosystem quality damage. Suggestions have been made to reduce energy demand and reuse the water in order to reduce the overall environmental impact. The hypothetical operation of the machine across different European countries was also examined to understand the impacts associated with bulk material transport and electricity from different energy sources. It was observed that the environmental impact showed an inverse correlation with the increased use of renewable sources for electricity generation due to a reduction in air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion. The analysis also revealed that significant reductions in environmental damage from material transport between the reclamation facility to the remanufacturing site should also be accounted for, and concluded that transportation routes predominantly via shipping have a lower environmental impact than road and rail haulage. This study is one of the first attempts to evaluate the environmental impact of this new technology at early conceptual development and to assess how it would operate in a European scenario. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sustainability Challenges in Polymer Composite Materials: Bio-Based Materials, Recycling, and Life Cycle)

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23 pages, 12360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Circular Design of Composite Products: A Framework Based on Insights from Literature and Industry

by Jelle Joustra, Bas Flipsen and Ruud Balkenende

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7223; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13137223 - 28 Jun 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3245

Abstract

Composite materials are an attractive material choice as they enable lightweight, low-maintenance products with a long lifespan. Recycling these materials, however, remains a challenge. Homogeneous material composition and the use of thermoset matrices complicate reprocessing, and result in low-grade recyclate. This means that closing the loop for these materials in a circular economy remains challenging, especially for glass fibre-reinforced thermoset composites. For a circular economy, products need to be designed to preserve product functionality, material properties, and economic value for as long as possible. However, recovery strategies, design aspects and their interconnectedness are currently largely unexplored for products containing fibre-reinforced polymers. The aim of this study was to identify circular strategies and determine design aspects for products containing composites. To achieve this, we conducted a systematic literature review and consulted experts. The circular strategies are largely similar to generic circular economy strategies as far as product integrity is concerned. However, on a material level, we identified additional approaches, the most notable of which is structural reuse, which preserves the material quality and thereby value. The design aspects were clustered and positioned along the product design process to support implementation. Finally, the strategies and design aspects we identified were brought together in a framework to support product design and design research for products containing composite materials in the context of a circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sustainability Challenges in Polymer Composite Materials: Bio-Based Materials, Recycling, and Life Cycle)

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Review

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25 pages, 7904 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Life Cycle Engineering Perspective on Biocomposites as a Solution for a Sustainable Recovery

by Amy Fitzgerald, Will Proud, Ali Kandemir, Richard J. Murphy, David A. Jesson, Richard S. Trask, Ian Hamerton and Marco L. Longana

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1160; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13031160 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 6596

Abstract

Composite materials, such as carbon fibre reinforced epoxies, provide more efficient structures than conventional materials through light-weighting, but the associated high energy demand during production can be extremely detrimental to the environment. Biocomposites are an emerging material class with the potential to reduce a product’s through-life environmental impact relative to wholly synthetic composites. As with most materials, there are challenges and opportunities with the adoption of biocomposites at the each stage of the life cycle. Life Cycle Engineering is a readily available tool enabling the qualification of a product’s performance, and environmental and financial impact, which can be incorporated in the conceptual development phase. Designers and engineers are beginning to actively include the environment in their workflow, allowing them to play a significant role in future sustainability strategies. This review will introduce Life Cycle Engineering and outline how the concept can offer support in the Design for the Environment, followed by a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of biocomposites throughout their life cycle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sustainability Challenges in Polymer Composite Materials: Bio-Based Materials, Recycling, and Life Cycle)

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