Come autumn this year, Swedish paper pulp manufacturer Södra Cell (Skogsudden, Växjö; www.sodra.com) plans to start producing its innovative, biologically degradable “DuraPulp” composites (see Plasteurope.com of 15.06.2011). In this context, Germany’s nova-Institut (Hürth; www.nova-institut.de) announced that all future development on the renewable, bio-based thermoplastic composite made of PLA and pulp fibres would be carried out within the framework of a pan-European R&D effort as part of the “MouldPulp Project” (www.mouldpulp.com).

Part of the “WoodWisdom-Net Research Programme”, the project will be carried out by a multidisciplinary team from Sweden, Finland and Germany, and is scheduled to last until 2013. The scientists will focus on the entire value chain, from bio-based raw materials to plastic products for consumers. The project will be headed by Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik (UMSICHT, Oberhausen / Germany; www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de). Aside from Södra and nova-Institut, other partners include Innventia (Stockholm / Sweden; www.innventia.com), FkuR Kunststoff (Willich / Germany; www.fkur.de), Elastopoli Oy (Sastamala / Finland; www.elastopoli.fi) and Hammarplast Consumer (Tingsryd / Sweden; www.hammarplast.se).

According to the research partners, “DuraPulp” is not only renewable. It also shows good mechanical properties, a perceived naturalness, nice tactile properties and can be dyed with clean colours. Södra sells the material by composite pulp bales, which can then be processed by various techniques. However, at present there is no industrially viable process for producing “DuraPulp” as granules for injection moulding. The new “MouldPulp Project” hopes to change this reality, with the aim of developing a processing technology that allows “DuraPulp” to be injection moulded while retaining its naturalness.

Specifically, the aim is to combine the “DuraPulp” process with a special compounding process, with the objective of achieving a high fibre amount. Doing so requires both a gentle compounding process and homogenous fibre dispersion. Once this has been achieved, the granules can then be injection moulded to sample specimens and technical parts, the project participants explain, adding that these materials will then be tested and evaluated.