Analyzing Raw Material Characteristics for Composite and Bio-composite preparation and Assessing Environmental Impacts through LCA

Sammanfattning: With the population expected to grow dramatically in the future. The existing state of the ecosystem appears to be worse in the future. One of the key culprits that has been wreaking havoc on the ecosystem is the use of plastic that is used to produce composites. Composites, because to its versatility, has applications in all areas, and as the population grows, so will the demand for them. This can be reduced by using biodegradable and natural materials. The study is done in collaboration with the company Trifilon. The raw materials of the mixture are compared, and the best polymer, fibers, and additives are chosen. Composites made from synthetic raw materials are being replaced by bio-composites, which contain one natural component. The material selected are polypropylene as the polymer, maleic anhydride as compatibilizer and glass fiber for composite while hemp fiber for Bio-composite. To achieve optimal mechanical qualities, the mixture is created using varied amounts of essential components. The mechanical properties aid in defining the industries in which the material can be employed. There are various combinations of raw materials available with varying fiber content, from which the best proportion of the fiber is chosen. For composites and Bio-composites, the fiber content in the mixture is 10% to generate the best material with the appropriate adaptability and flexibility, allowing the material to be used and have applications in several industries. A comparative life cycle evaluation is used to compare the environmental impact of both materials' production procedures. The assessment model was created with the help of a literature review to generate the optimal recipe for composite and bio-composite materials. In most impact categories, bio-composite materials were found to be more sustainable than composite materials. The usage of Polypropylene as a raw material has the greatest influence on global warming, with glass fiber contributing more to global warming than hemp fiber. Future studies could include replacing Polypropylene with natural polymer and hemp fiber with a combination of synthetic and natural fiber to have strong mechanical properties from the synthetic and eco-friendliness from the natural fiber respectively.