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Publications

Find here all publications that were created and published within the context of the r-LightBioCom project.

Estudio y simulación del proceso de fotopolimerización inducida catiónica en materiales compuestos termoestables

(Study and simulation of cationic induced photopolymerisation process in thermoset composites)

P. Contreras (1), L. Matesanz (1), M. Santiago (1), M. Fernández (1), E. Cañibano (1, 2) 

 

(1) Fundación CIDAUT, Pl. Vicente Aleixandre Campos, 2, 47151 Boecillo, Valladolid.

(2) Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo del Cauce 59, 47011 Valladolid, España

 
In: RevistaPlásticosModernos (RPM); No. 804, October 2024, 11-16.

Autoclave processes have been traditionally used effectively in the production of thermoset composites, although in recent years, out-of-autoclave (OOA) approaches have become increasingly important. The OOA techniques reduce curing times and generate high energy efficiency, leading to energy savings and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Technologies that directly heat the sample, known as fast curing, stand out. In this framework, CIDAUT proposed the use of an efficient and more sustainable processing technique, called transfer molding (RTM) together with frontal photopolymerization.

 

In the present study, photopolymerization has enabled the rapid curing of polymer composites by RTM, resembling a serial industrial process that provides composite materials with properties similar to those obtained by traditional thermal curing.

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Influence of Enzymatically Hydrophobized Hemp Protein on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Bio-Based Polyurethane and Epoxy Foams

Ferreres, G. (UPC); Pérez-Rafael, S. (UPC); Morena, A.G. (UPC); Tzanov, T. (UPC); Gryshchuk, L. (IVW). In: Polymers, 2023, 15, 3608. September 2023

 

In this joint study, r-LightBioCom‘s partners Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and Leibniz-Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH created and investigated hemp biomass bio-fillers, which offer the very good possibility to modify the mechanical properties of e.g. foams for composite materials. Hydrophobization of hemp protein (HHP) particles with lauryl gallate by an enzymatic, laccase-mediated functionalization allowed creating such filler, which effective reduce density of the polyurethane (PU) and epoxy (EP) composite foams. Introduction of HHP filler has different influence on the foams morphology – the fillers increased the size of the cells, while reducing the amount of open cells of PU foams and the amount of closed cells for EP foams. Moreover, both types of foams filled with hydrophobized filler reduced the moisture uptake by 80 and 45%, respectively, indicating the successful hydrophobization of the composites.

Continuous sonochemical nanotransformation of lignin – Process design and control

Sílvia Pérez-Rafael, Guillem Ferreres, Tzanko Tzanov, et al. In: Ultrasonics Sonochemistry; Elsevier; August 2023.

Lignin, the most abundant renewable aromatic polymer, has been successfully transformed into highly concentrated lignin nanoparticles using an eco-friendly continuous sonochemical process. By optimizing ultrasound parameters, researchers achieved precise control over particle size and distribution, paving the way for innovative material applications and the potential for real-time process monitoring.

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