Title: Fibre boards and composites from wet preserved hemp

Authors: Ralf Pecenka, Christian Furll, Christine Idler, Philipp Grundmann, Ljubomir Radosavljevic

Addresses: Leibniz – Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany. ' Leibniz – Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany. ' Leibniz – Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany. ' Leibniz – Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany. ' Leibniz – Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany

Abstract: It is absolutely necessary to reduce plant investments and processing costs in order to make natural fibres more attractive for farmers and industry. Conventional hemp fibre production is based on field drying and straw retting – connected with a high weather risk. Therefore, a novel weather-independent technique has been developed. Hemp is harvested by means of a chopper followed by anaerobic storage. A pilot plant with a processing capacity of 300 kg h ⁻¹ (dm) fibre material has been built up and tested. The whole plant material can be processed to products like insulation materials, fibre boards or granulate for injection moulding.

Keywords: hemp; wet preservation; fibre boards; fibre reinforced composites; natural fibres; anaerobic storage; insulation materials; granulate; injection moulding.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2009.027832

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2009 Vol.36 No.1/2/3/4, pp.208 - 220

Published online: 12 Aug 2009 *

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