The innovation was developed as a result of the project ‘Sustainable Industrial Design of Textile Structures for Composite’ funded from the European Union Horizon Europe program. The inventors: dr inż. Paulina Byczkowska, dr Emil Saryusz-Wolski, prof. Marcin Barburski, from Lodz University of Technology, and prof. Nawar Kadi and prof. Mikael Skrifvars of the University of Boras in Sweden, were driven in their work by their commitment to advancing sustainable development.
As prof. Marcin Barburski explained: ‘Additive manufacturing has been growing in popularity because it allows you to make things that are durable and practical. There is a catch however: the materials used for 3D printing may not be good for the planet. They also may not be strong enough. Natural fibers, e.g., sheep wool, offer one possible solution to this problem. Added to the material we call PLA (a type of biodegradable polymer), these fibers can make the finished product more durable, enhance its thermal insulation and flame-retardant properties. The research shows a promising path for the development of more sustainable and efficient technologies of additive manufacturing of various things, e.g., spare parts, packaging, and other products that should be durable and environmentally friendly. The idea to combine two raw materials was also looking to reduce textile waste. An important part of the research was to identify an optimal mixture of PLA and wool fiber. Also, we have started studying other natural fibers as components of the printed PLA material. The goal is to achieve the intended performance of the finished product. All this can bring us a lot of meaningful information for the future.’
The Exhibition where the Polish-Swedish team of researchers won a gold medal had its 16th edition this year. It featured over 600 inventions and projects from 34 countries.