Background

As part of the CircularBioMat research project, a wide range of bio-based materials, including natural-fiber-reinforced materials and recyclates, are being tested for their suitability to substitute the petroleum-based polymers that currently dominate building services engineering and utility services.
The most suitable materials and composite materials are then processed into functional prototypes in order to compare them with commercially available, petroleum-based competing products in terms of mechanical performance, life-cycle assessment, recyclability, and more. Findings from this interdisciplinary research project across the “Forest Products Technology & Timber Constructions” and “Green Building” degree programs contribute to a measurable improvement in the environmental footprint of components used in building services engineering and utility services.
At present, a large share of components for building services engineering, including air supply and exhaust outlets and components for switches and electrical outlets, as well as utility services, are predominantly made from petroleum-based plastics. A detailed review of the market has shown that bio-based components for building services engineering and utility services are scarcely available, if at all. This accompanying circumstance was examined in depth in the exploratory project BiBi-TGA, completed in 2022.
Against this background, the CircularBioMat research project is now conducting research on bio-based alternatives with a consortium of research and industry partners, including Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Montanuniversität Leoben, Miraplast Kunststoffverarbeitung, Schnabl Stecktechnik, AGRU-Kunststofftechnik, and Tecnaro. The aim is to produce materials and composite materials that offer similar or better performance than the petroleum-based competing products. A variety of processing technologies are available for further processing of the developed materials, including extrusion, injection molding, and MEX (material extrusion) 3D printing.

Project Objectives

• Development and testing of bio-based materials and composite materials, including natural-fiber-reinforced materials and recyclates, for building services engineering and utility services
• Further processing of the materials using a range of processing technologies, including extrusion, injection molding, and MEX 3D printing
• Prototype fabrication and subsequent comparison with commercially available, petroleum-based components used in building services engineering and utility services
• Conducting life-cycle assessments for the developed materials and for the manufactured components