Winners of the “Bio-based Material of the Year 2015” Award

1. Bio-based polyurethane crosslinker for automotive coatings
2. Natural fibre reinforced plastic (Hemp – PP)
3. Composites for aircraft applications comprising flax non-woven, basalt yarns a sugar-based bioresin

For the eighth year running the Innovation Award “Bio-based Material of the Year” is awarded to the bio-based material industry. Six bio-based materials and products have been nominated for the Award by the advisory board, out of 24 submitted products. The prize has been awarded by nova-Institute at the “8th International Conference on Bio-based Materials” in Cologne (Germany) on 13 April 2015. The winners of the Innovation Award “Bio-based Material of the Year 2015” are:

1. Bayer MaterialScience AG (Germany):
   Desmodur eco N – First bio-based polyurethane crosslinker in the market for high performance automotive coatings:

   First bio-based polyurethane crosslinker in the market for high performance automotive coatings
   (source: nova-Institute)

   Polyisocyanate based on Pentamethylene Diisocyanate (PDI)
   The limiting factor for bio-based polyurethanes has been the need for polyurethane crosslinkers based on renewable feedstock, since bio-based polyols solutions already exist. Bayer MaterialScience has taken up this challenge and developed Desmodur eco N: a new solvent-free aliphatic polyisocyanate and the first polyurethane crosslinker on the market with a significant renewable content that has not come at the expense of performance. This crosslinker is based on a new isocyanate, pentamethylene diisocyanate (PDI), 70 percent of whose carbon content comes from biomass. In addition, it is produced using energy-efficient gas-phase technology, to assure minimum impact on the carbon footprint. This product enables the production of bio-based polyurethanes for high-performance automotive coatings.

2. HIB Trim Part Solutions GmbH (Germany):
   Nature 50 – Natural fibre reinforced plastic (Hemp – PP) including a long fibre ratio > 50% for injection moulding

   Natural fibre reinforced plastic (Hemp – PP) including a long fibre ratio > 50% for injection moulding (source: nova-Institute)

   In the last years, many companies have developed natural fibre reinforced PP granulates, but the market success has been limited. The Nature 50 granulate is a completely new development with special properties. Long hemp fibres (> 50%) are mixed with PP and additives in an innovative cold-press technology (no extruder). The granulate can then be extruded and injection moulded in serial moulding tools. The long hemp fibres give a special design and a good Charpy impact property to the material, making it suitable for automotive parts. The weight reduction is between 18 and 20% in substitution of serial plastic PC ABS GF20. Also impact strength, shrinkage and heat expansion show attractive properties.

3. EcoTechnilin Ltd (UK):
   FibriRock innovative composite material for aircraft applications comprising flax non-woven, basalt yarns and a sugar-based bioresin.

   Composite material for aircraft applications comprising flax non-woven, basalt yarns and a sugar-based bioresin (source: nova-Institute)

   Co-developed with TFC FibriRock is a lightweight bio-sourced fast-curing composite with very good FST performance. Certified for use in an airline galley cart, FibriRock combines a Nomex-type core with skins formed from flax, basalt and a sugar-based bioresin. There are three reasons why FibriRock is specially suited for the field of aerospace composites: the skins, which represent 87% of the material, are 100% biosourced. The fast processing times (150 seconds) are pretty exceptional in the field of aircraft composites where most sandwich-type materials take between 40 and 70 minutes to cure. And the low heat release rate figures (15 kWmin/m2) are three times lower than competitive materials enabling clients to use much cheaper films and decorative finishes.