Project: PLUS – Sandwichelemente aus pflanzlichen Reststoffen mit integrierter Schall-und Wärmschutzfunktion
Project Type: Research-Industrial Project Grant
Funding Body:  BMEL- Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR), German Government
Role: Principle Investigator
Period: 2015– 2017

The PLUS project aims to develop, characterize and apply bio-based, eco-friendly sandwich panels with integrated functions for interior design applications. The panel consists of up to 100% annually renewable materials and should be considered as an alternative to conventional interior designs in the long term perspective. The renewable resources are mainly fibers from agricultural by-products. In different countries around the world, the plants residues are burnt after harvesting in the open fields. Accordingly, using these raw materials in the PLUS project offers major ecological and economical values for both the building and agricultural industries.

The sandwich panel is produced without formaldehydes or VOCs (volatile organic compounds). The panel is manufactured out of two outer layers of NFRP (Natural fibre reinforced plastics) and a bio-based foam in the core, to have thermal insulation properties. Using different geometric volumes and patterns, the panel is also applied as an acoustic absorber, offering various designs. The panels can be thermoformed, milled or bent to achieve the best solution according to the specified characteristics.

The project took place through a cooperation network conducted by the BioMat research group as the major coordinator and different industrial partners for the production and development phases. Students also had the possibility to investigate and test different material properties within different seminars held in the University of Stuttgart, lead by Jun.-Prof. Hanaa Dahy.

Partners:

Fraunhofer – ICT Joseph-von-Fraunhoferstr. 7, D-76327 Pfinztal 

K.Westermann GmbH + Co.KG Albstrasse 1, D-73770 Denkendorf

Naftex GmbH Ilexstrasse 12, D-26639 Wiesmoor

Think-blue Gewerbestrasse 7, D-77749 Hohberg-Niederschopfheim

BaFa Neu GmbH Stephanstrasse 2, D-76316 Malsch

TVB Burgstaller Lieslmoosstrasse 29, D-83417 Kirchanschöring