Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites (NFRP) Fabricated from Lignocellulosic Fibres for Future Sustainable Architectural Applications, Case Studies: Segmented-Shell Construction, Acoustic Panels, and Furniture

Abstract

Due to the high amounts of waste generated from the building industry field, it has become essential to search for renewable building materials to be applied in wider and more innovative methods in architecture. One of the materials with the highest potential in this area is natural fibre-reinforced polymers (NFRP), which are also called biocomposites, and are filled or reinforced with annually renewable lignocellulosic fibres. This would permit variable closed material cycles’ scenarios and should decrease the amounts of waste generated in the building industry. Throughout this paper, this discussion will be illustrated through a number of developments and 1:1 mockups fabricated from newly developed lignocellulosic-based biocomposites from both bio-based and non-bio-based thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. Recyclability, closed materials cycles, and design variations with diverse digital fabrication technologies will be discussed in each case. The mock-ups’ concepts, materials’ compositions, and fabrication methods are illustrated. In the first case study, a structural segmented shell construction is developed and constructed. In the second case study, acoustic panels were developed. The final case studies are two types of furniture, where each is developed from a different lignocellulosic-based biocomposite. All of the presented case studies show diverse architectural design possibilities, structural abilities, and physical building characteristics.

‘Materials as a Design Tool’ Design Philosophy Applied in Three Innovative Research Pavilions Out of Sustainable Building Materials with Controlled End-Of-Life Scenarios

“…The special feature of these materials was their flexibility and elasticity. The elastic fiberboards were bendable in any desired single or double-curved shapes, and the final shape was adjusted and customized using three-dimensional (3D) veneer layers, [15,16]. Multiple material alterations were developed in the form of sandwich panels.…”

Curved Foldable Tailored Fiber Reinforcements for Moldless Customized Bio-Composite Structures. Proof of Concept: Biomimetic NFRP Stools

“…If the composite is well designed, certain properties better than the individual ones of the base materials can be achieved [ 2 ]. Furthermore, the lightweight and high stiffness of FRPs may reduce the need for concrete and metals in construction and allows for “another level of geometrical variations and integrated functionalities” [ 3 ].…”

“…Within this research a special interest lies in the use of natural fibers as a reinforcement material, thus creating a natural fiber-reinforced polymer (NFRP), also called bio-composite [ 3 ]. Although natural fibers were already used more than 100 years ago, the use was suspended due to the low cost and growing performance of synthetic fibers, while a renaissance in the use for technical applications has been recognized in recent years [ 4 ].…”

“…It was shown that the replacement of synthetic fibers by renewable natural alternatives could contribute to lower CO 2 emissions and help cope with the growing population [ 3 ]. This makes natural fibers very suitable for the future construction industry, which today accounts for 11% of the global energy-related CO 2 emissions [ 7 ].…”

Analysis and Comparative Assessment of Basic Tribological Properties of Selected Polymer Composites

“…A characteristic feature of these materials, when compared to widely used metal alloys, is their relatively low weight combined with high resistance to corrosion and various substances. Therefore, polymers and polymer composites with the above properties are used in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, and biomedical [16][17][18][19]. Various types of fibres and fillers, including matrix-reinforcing nanoparticles, are used in polymeric composites to significantly improve their properties including tribological characteristics [20,21].…”