Bio-Composites from Food-waste
Exploring the impact of waste sourced fillers from the food industry on the functional and mechanical characteristics of bio-composites for a possible application as a façade product
Student:
Mentors:
Lara Neuhaus
Mauro Overend
Olga Ioannou
This project explores integrating waste-based fillers from the food-waste industry into bio-composites for facade applications. The rising demand for sustainable materials and the limited use of waste in building products present an opportunity to develop fully bio-based building materials from underutilized by-products.
The thesis identifies and evaluates food-waste sources like walnut shells, cherry pits, coffee grounds, and cacao bean shells as potential fillers. Using bulk compression molding, these fillers are tested in polymeric composites, focusing on mechanical and functional properties crucial for facade use. Optimal integration of the fillers involves finding the best grain sizes and resin/filler ratio. A mix of grain sizes aims to experimentally optimise balance between of mechanical properties and filler content. The most effective filler combinations are assessed for facade panel designs based on sustainability and structural merits.
Overall, waste-filled bio-composites show significant promise as low-carbon materials, with nut shells and spent coffee grounds particularly promising.