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The use of natural fibres such as flax in composite materials is an expanding market sector. Variability potentially exists at many points in the “plant-composite continuum”. In this study, the influence of i) variety, ii) growth year, and iii) processing technique on the mechanical properties of composites was tested. Ten varieties of flax grown in two consecutive years were processed by the following techniques: i) twin-screw extrusion and injection moulding, ii) vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM) and iii) pultrusion. These processes differed in the fibre length, fibre orientation and polymer used, and so differed overall in the severity of the fibre treatments. The two repetitions of growing in two subsequent years showed a significant influence on the morphology of the raw fibre bundles and the composite properties processed with VARTM and pultrusion technique. The year effect was overlapped by the severe processing influence using twin-screw extrusion and injection moulding, where no influence of the growing year was detectable in the mechanical properties of the composites and the morphology of the fibre bundles extracted from the composites. Although the use of different processes on the same plant material causes large differences in the mechanical properties of the composites, we could identify plant varieties that showed consistently above average and below average performance with all processing techniques and over two years. This knowledge can be used as a basis for further breeding of flax varieties optimised for composite reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocomposites have emerged as promising alternative materials for the aviation industry. However, there is a limited body of scientific literature addressing the end-of-life management of biocomposites. This article evaluated different end-of-life technologies for biocomposite recycling in a structured, five-step approach applying the innovation funnel principle. First, ten end-of-life (EoL) technologies were compared in terms of their circularity potential and technology readiness levels (TRL). Second, a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was carried out to find out the top four most promising technologies. Afterwards, experimental tests were conducted at a laboratory scale to evaluate the top three technologies for recycling biocomposites by analysing (1) three types of fibres (basalt, flax, carbon) and (2) two types of resins (bioepoxy and Polyfurfuryl Alcohol (PFA) resins). Subsequently, further experimental tests were performed to identify the top two recycling technologies for the EoL treatment of biocomposite waste from the aviation industry. Finally, the sustainability and economic performance of the top two identified EoL recycling technologies were evaluated through life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA). The experimental results, performed via the LCA and TEA assessments, demonstrated that both solvolysis and pyrolysis are technically, economically, and environmentally viable options for the EoL treatment of biocomposite waste from the aviation industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1915; 250: 1-39 93 Shields V.D.C., Broomell B.P., Salako J.O.B. Host selection and acceptability of selected tree species by gypsy moth larvae, Lymantria dispar (L.). J. Pest Sci. 2000; 73: 125-126 237 Zúbrik M., Hajek A., Pilarska D., Spilda I., Georgiev G., Hrasovec B., Hirka A., Goertz D., Hoch G., Barta M. The potential for Entomophaga maimaiga to regulate gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) in Europe. 1956; 21: 148-157 78 Gray D.R., Ravlin F.W., Régnière J., Logan J.A. Further advances toward a model of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar (L.)) egg phenology: Respiration rates and thermal responsiveness during diapause, and age-dependent developmental rates in postdiapause. 1993 110 Miller J.C., Hanson P.E. Laboratory studies on development of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), larvae on foliage of gymnosperms. 1984 288 Liebhold A.M., Elkinton J.S., Wallner W.E. Effect of burlap bands on between-tree movement of late-instar gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera:Lymantriidae). [Extracted from the article]

Summary: A comprehensive life cycle assessment of panels for aircraft interiors was conducted, including both a conventional glass fiber‐reinforced panel and different novel sustainable panels. The conventional panel is made of a glass fiber‐reinforced thermoset composite with halogenated flame retardant, whereas the sustainable panels are made of renewable or recyclable polymers, natural fiber reinforcements, and nonhalogenated flame retardants. Four different sustainable panels were investigated: a geopolymer‐based panel; a linseed‐oil–based biopolymer panel; and two thermoplastic panels, one with polypropylene (PP) and another with polylactic acid (PLA). All of the sustainable panels were developed to fulfil fire resistance requirements and to be lighter than the conventional panels in order to reduce fuel consumption and air pollutant emissions from the aircraft. The environmental impacts associated with energy consumption and air emissions were assessed, as well as other environmental impacts resulting from the extraction and processing of materials, transportation of materials and waste, panel manufacturing, use, maintenance, and end of life (EoL). All the sustainable panels showed better environmental performance than the conventional panel. The overall impacts of the sustainable panels were offset by the environmental benefits in the use stage attributed to weight reduction. One square meter of the novel panels could save to 6,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents. The break‐even point (in months) at which the use of sustainable panels would yield an environmental benefit relative to the impacts arising in production and EoL was as follows: 1.2 for the geopolymer panel; 1.7 for the biopolymer panel; 10.4 for the PLA panel; and 54.5 for the PP panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]