In part funded by MAFF, this represents an obvious step forward for both the chemical industry and oilseed producers driven by sound ecological reasons, in tandem with MAFF's stated aim of supporting the development of renewable industrial materials from agricultural crops. The advantage of Euphorbia is that it is chemically nearer to being a polyurethane feedstock than rapeseed oil. It will also demonstrate the preparation of a diverse range of polyurethane products from both rapeseed and Euphorbia to stimulate market development. SusCompNet WMG is working with the Biocomposites Centre at University of Wales, Bangor to form a sustainable composite materials network, to promote the development of enabling technologies thereby addressing problems in agronomy, fibre processing, design and manufacture for sustainable composite materials. The inaugural meeting, on 22 June 2001, will take place at Bangor.
Membership is open to interested producers, processors, and users of sustainable composites.
Contact Dr. Nick Tucker , Warwick or Dr. Mark Hughes , Bangor for details. Composites WMG has been working on methods to manufacture hemp and flax reinforced composites by extrusion-compression and compression moulding techniques. Conventional resins such as casein and new resins based on starch and polyhydroxybutyrate have been used to bind fibres together. Trials on Miscanthus chaff as a polymer filler show early promise. The matrix used in the trials is Mitsui Lacea, a biodegradable polylactic acid resin.