Pultrusion of construction materials from renewable resources

Pultrusion is a continuous production technology for manufacturing fibre-re inforced plastic profiles. Usually glass or carbon fibres are used which ar e impregnated with liquid petrochemical thermosetting polymers, e.g. unsatu rated polyesters or epoxy resins, and cured while being pulled through a he ated die. The cured profile is then cut into parts as required. This cost-effective production method from reinforced plastics technology i s now used for profiles from natural fibres. Choosing adequate natural rein forcing fibres, the properties of these composites can be even better than those of glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP). This potential for light-w eight structures should be especially used for applications in the automoti ve and furniture industries. Profiles made of natural fibres and biopolymers show decisive advantages in terms of recycling compared with GFRP. Incineration of these materials is carbon dioxide-neutral. Using a biodegradable matrix, composting is another interesting recycling option. In order to manufacture natural fibre profiles with similar properties like GFRP, processing, fibre preforms, e.g, slivers, preyarns, yarns and biopol ymers have to be adapted to each other. To limit investments in new machine ry, the manufacture of natural fibre profiles should be possible in the sam e production plants as for GFRP profiles. Research still has to be done to reduce the moisture sensitivity of these c omposites and increase the fibre-matrix-adhesion. At present, natural-fibre -composites are well apt for panelling elements and loaded structures for i nterior applications, in future also for exterior structural parts.