Developing the supply chains for industrial hemp fibre and bio-based resins towards high performance circular bio-based composites

SSUCHY-Next builds further where previous BBI SSUCHY stopped in 2022.

Ambition is to bring different parts of the hemp fibre supply chain to TRL 7, through production at scale of various fibre products, covering the complete value chain from field to composite. Two value chains are further developed. Fibres are extracted by either scutching or by breaking roller/card, linking into different geographical regions.

Hackled and carded slivers are further processed into high quality preforms for composites: woven and quasi-UD fabrics and purely UD hemp tape.

The appearance at industrial scale of high quality hemp fibres would give a boost to plant fibre composites in competition with glass fibre composites, offering both an environmentally sound and cost effective alternative, especially with less expensive medium length fibres.

With hemp fibres which are largely circular, one of the major bottlenecks for a further breakthrough of bio-based composites has been the lack of (fully) bio-based, environmentally sound and as well cost efficient polymer matrices.

Hence, our ambition in SSUCHY-Next to work on 3 bio-based resins: bio-based acrylic polymer (Elium) with very high bio-content, and fully bio-based benzoxazine and BG-epoxy, building upon developments in SSUCHY. All systems developed to TRL 6 or 7. To demonstrate the viability of the materials, various inspiring applications are developed to TRL7.

We demonstrate the design, production, testing and certification of a 12.6 meter long wind turbine blade, made from hemp and bio-based acrylic.

Wood-based products are developed, based on infiltrated wood scaffolds, in first instance with fluid acrylic; also a hybrid wood-based product with hemp reinforcement is included to produce a leather replacement. Large scale building applications are demonstrated, based on shorter fibres and benzoxazine.

For each developed product we demonstrate its recyclability. All developments are monitored and adjusted by means of LCA.