Bio-based polymers from renewable resources have attracted great interest as a potential replacement to synthetic polymers. This is due to environmental issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, related to increased usage of fossil fuel feedstock in the production of synthetics. For these reasons, eco-friendly approaches in the design of new biopolymer-based systems have been implemented to meet expectations for low-toxicity, environmentally compatible and sustainable solutions. Extraction of biopolymers from wastewater sludge, which is produced after wastewater treatment, has recently been proposed as an innovative solution for resource recovery. In particular, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), wastewater-derived biopolymers, have been extracted to form a biopolymeric hydrogel matrix. The major components of EPS are found to be proteins and polysaccharides, which can determine physical and chemical characteristics. Specifically, protein has shown its potential as a bio-based flame retardant to diminish heat and smoke release of materials due to char forming ability. A fire research team within the Centre for Advanced Materials Manufacturing and Design (CAMMD) has also identified a significant role of protein-based materials, such as casein and wool, in reducing flammability of natural fibre reinforced composites.
The proposed project aims at developing a high-performance sustainable composite made of wastewater-derived EPS, natural fibres and bio-resin systems. At the first phase, a research team will recover EPS from wastewater biosolids/sludge and conduct chemical and thermal analyses of the biomaterials. We will then prepare EPS-coated flax fabrics and investigate effects of the biopolymers on thermal/fire properties of the natural fabrics. We will start with an EPS coating method, but more feasible and innovative techniques will be explored to prepare EPS-based flax fabrics. The second phase of the project will be devoted to manufacturing composites based on EPS-based flax fabric and protein-based resin and investigating combined effects of the two components on fire and mechanical properties of the composites. In particular, we will employ fire testing techniques to measure flammability including heat and smoke release, of the composites according to the standards for aerospace and construction industries, where fire-retardant composites are highly demanded.
Undergraduate
The expected outcome from this research is to gain knowledge on interaction of the wastewater-derived biopolymers with other constituents, such as natural fibres and bio-resin, to determine fire and mechanical properties of composites. Students will collaborate with a doctoral student to learn the extraction process of EPS from waste resources and understand structure and components of EPS. Moreover, the project team will experience on the manufacture of natural fibre reinforced composites based on the bio-resin system and the evaluation of composites’ flammability and mechanical properties using the advanced testing equipment.
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CACM - Strength of Materials Lab (Newmarket 902 Lvl 3, Lab)