Výrobní technologie pro netkané materiály (panely) z přírodních vláken, které umožňují nové aplikace.

Rakouská společnost vyvinula výrobní technologie pro "zelené" netkané materiály. Tato technologie snižuje spotřebu energie nejméně o 50% a umožňuje výrobu velmi kvalitních samonosných panelů, které vynikají vysokou nehořlavostí a pevností. Tyto vlastnosti umožňují řadu zajímavých aplikací. Tato výroba běží přes jeden rok. Tato společnost hledá partnery pro nové aplikace/vývoj.

Description:
Non-woven materials made from natural fibers are becoming more and more important in order to replace oil based materials and to reduce waste. However, the application of such material has been limited to specific fields (such as insulation, etc.). Before now, it could not be used whenever compression-proofing was required because current production technologies such as "carding & cross-laying" are only able to produce material with a maximum density of 50 kg/m³.

The Upper Austrian company has now developed a technology, which is able to produce green non-woven panels with a density of 100 kg/m³ and a thickness of up to 100 mm for the first time. Thus, high quality self-supporting panels for many new applications such as footfall sound insulation, insulation for external walls, seats of chairs or the like can be produced. In Addition, the company has more than 15 years of experience in the production of non-woven materials based on natural fibers.
The production plant is operating successfully since more than one year.

The technology consists of the following steps:
• Fiber processing: the fibers are mixed with special bonding fibers.
• Air-lay unit: in the air-laying step the mixture is pneumatically compacted in order to produce a fibrous web (non-woven material).
• Thermobonding step: by heating the fibrous web in an oven, the bonding fibers (partially) melt.
• Cooling press: after cooling down again a panel with good stability is obtained.
• Cutting unit.

High-quality non-woven materials as panels or as rolls with the following specifications can be produced:
• Grammage: 1.000 – 10.000 g/m2
• Production width: 2,1 m
• Production thickness: 5 mm – 200 mm (200mm with densities lower than 100 kg/m³)
• Product density: 10 kg/m3 – 100 kg/m3 (depending on the raw material)
• Raw materials: hemp, flax, kenaf, nearly all other natural fibers but also glass fibers for example
• Production volume: max. 1000 kg/h (depending on the product).
Innovations and advantages of the offer
By optimizing the thermobonding step the company finally succeeded in developing a production technology for green non woven self-supporting panels with high density (100 kg/m³) and a thickness of 100 mm. Thus many new high-grade applications are made possible. Additionally, the novel technology uniquely adds a fire protection system to the product and thus increases fire resistance of the non-woven material and panels made from natural fibers.

Further advantages:
• Energy consumption is reduced by at least 50% compared to other production technologies.
• High quality: due to high homogeneity of the non-woven material and good alignment of the natural fibers tensile strength is increased compared to other green non woven products.
• Bio-degradable non-woven materials possible.
Current and Potential Domain of Application
Green non woven panels or materials on rolls for:
• Technical insulation (insulation for household appliances such as dishwasher, pipes etc.)
• Construction industry (insulation in house building)
• Furniture construction (chair seats)
• Vehicle manufacturing
• Packing industry

Collaboration Type:
Joint further development
Testing of new applications
Adaptation to specific needs
Transfer of knowledge in new raw materials
New way to use an existing production line
Change in the partner sought's currently used technologies (installations, process, facilities)

Comments:
- Type of partner sought: Industry, SME.

- Specific area of activity of the partner:
• Producers of synthetic non-woven materials (such as polypropylene, polyester, etc.) looking for a green alternative
• Developers and/or manufacturers of green non woven materials.

- Task to be performed by the partner sought:
Using the novel technology for development and/or production of green non-woven materials; the company provides the production plant/process and development know how and experience to the partner. All natural fibers coming from the partner can be tested.



(Ref: 12 AT 0105 3PW9 )

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