The LaNDER3 research network aims for the holistic material and technology development concerning natural fiber-reinforced plastics. In various research projects, the entire material cycle is considered, starting from the extraction of natural fibers to their use in composite materials, and finally to the utilization/recycling of components at the end of the product life. The partnership has its scientific foundation at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG) and is strengthened through co-operations with primarily regionally based companies and partners. In this portrait, we present the working group for fiber extraction, the utilization of resulting organic residues, and the recovery of inorganic valuable substances - crucial components of the efficient use of natural resources.
In the Natural Fiber Center, the heart and the experimental hall of the research network, all three areas of fiber extraction, processing, and recycling can work closely together in one room and quickly exchange information with each other. Additionally, office and workspaces are housed in the same building, further facilitating co-operation. The network consists of many individual research projects, not only operating in the Natural Fiber Center but also at the university.
.
Research within the LaNDER3 network is always interdisciplinary. The processes and methods used depend on the different questions in individual projects. In the presented impulse project 8, various methods of fiber extraction and utilization are developed, tested and optimised in experimental series. These are recorded in a database for natural fibers, including data on fiber geometry and strength, contributing to the determination of the potential use of regional raw materials. The centerpiece is the bioreactor, allowing controlled water retting of the fiber plant. Process waters generated during plant treatment in the bioreactor contains certain basic chemicals (mainly organic acids, such as acetic acid and lactic acid) that can be used to produce bio-based plastics or their precursor products. This allows the partial or complete replacement of fossil sources with renewable raw materials, reducing the ecological footprint and manufacturing costs of composite plastics by using more affordable alternative raw materials. The aim is also to replace plastics with natural materials in all areas wherever possible. This should also contribute to the development of concepts for the material and energy utilization of sewage sludge and other waste streams from agriculture and the food industry. Additionally, the role of specific bacteria and fungi in fiber extraction is examined with the goal of optimizing the fiber extraction process through the targeted use of these microorganisms to obtain high-quality natural fibers. Furthermore, research is conducted on the development of an environmentally friendly recycling technology for natural fiber-reinforced plastics using specific fiber-decomposing fungi.