The transport sector has defined that the development trends and needs for its components are weight reduction, development of more sustainable materials and fire resistance.
Goals
To meet these market needs, the project aims to develop post-deformable materials so that, on the one hand, the company does not change its production process and its business model, that is, it continues to present its products. products in the form of slabs, and, on the other hand, to develop materials with a high added value it is necessary that the materials supplied to its customers (slabs), can be converted into products with different shapes (final products).
Innovation
A compact is currently constituted by the stacking of sheets of Kraft paper previously impregnated with a thermosetting matrix (phenolic resin), in which, at one end, it includes a decorative finishing paper and a melamine resin. This multilayer compound is subsequently compacted using the hot compression molding technique. With this project it is intended to develop post-deformable materials, and, for this, the thermosetting matrix used has to be replaced by a polymeric matrix, in order to be able to incorporate the possibility of post-production deformation. Only thermoplastic matrices have this ability of freedom of molecular arrangement with increasing temperature, so it will be necessary to carry out technical and scientific studies to useit.
The sustainability aspect associated with the material, will be addressed by the possibility of the material being reprocessed and by reducing the weight. With regard to weight reduction, a fibrous reinforcement will be used in order to increase the mechanical properties, decreasing the amount of kraft paper sheets used. These fibrous materials, being of inorganic origin, will have the ability to endow the resulting material with greater resistance to fire.
Results
With applicability in the transport industry, namely automotive and aeronautics, the FlexComp project gave rise to post-deformable compacts that change their shape with the increase in temperature and pressure after their production.
FlexComp resulted in the creation of a product with a structural function, reusable and recyclable following the principles of circular economy. More sustainable, light and resistant laminates that can replace the metals and polymers present in public transport structures.
A material that can be manipulated and with great benefits when compared to the solutions currently used in the transport, architecture or design industry and which are based on petroleum products.
Datasheet
The FlexComp project (code POCI-01-0247-FEDER-023541) is promoted by Sonae Indústria de Revestimentos S.A.
