Composite materials with high biomass content

Abstract

A composite material with high biomass comprising a binder, bio-aggregate, and water, wherein the binder consists of a lime-based adhesive and natural or modified starch. The method for producing the high-biomass composite material includes the following steps: mixing the components to achieve a homogeneous mixture, pouring the mixture into a mold, and allowing it to rest. The composite material is then subjected to curing through steam heating, followed by drying through moisture evaporation to obtain the composite material with high biomass.

Description

[0001] COMPOSITE MATERIALS WITH HIGH BIOMASS CONTENT

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] Biomaterial involving composite materials with high biomass content

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] The current direction and objective of global development aim to focus on environment and sustainability in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasize various aspect of development, namely social aspect, governance aspect including environmental aspect. This global collaboration targets challenges causing global warming such as energy conservation, resource management, waste handling, climate change, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction under policies like Net Zero and Carbon Neutrality. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that development in technology, innovation and industry should emphasize sustainability leading to green industrial trends, in which composite materials innovation is also one of essential innovations to reach sustainability.

[0006] Technology advances in composite material as green industrial trends tend to developing eco-friendly composites as well as property improvements in composite materials according to needs, for instance, property improvements in strength, lightweight leading to energy and resource efficiency in manufacturing and logistics, including synthetic materials reduction and more biomass-derived materials usage in composite materials manufacturing using biomass materials such as wood, plant fibres would provide with various beneficial properties such as lightweight, weather resistant and biodegradability. There would replace synthetic materials usage which contribute to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and promotion in sustainable materials manufacturing

[0007] According to the patent search, there have been previous inventions with some relation to biomass composite materials which are described in some details below:

[0008] Thai patent application no. 2101002795 discloses a manufacturing process for mycelium fiber materials for shoe components. The process involves cultivating mycelium fiber with one or more plant-derived proteins, selecting from a group consisting of pea plants and soybean plants. After that, mycelium fiber materials are treated with solutions containing plasticizers selecting from a group consisting of oils, glycerin, and fat liquor, then pressed into flat sheets with a thickness of 0.1-0.5 inches. Chinese patent application no. CN11199017 IB discloses preparation method and application of biomass composite materials containing mycelium fibers comprising the following process: preparing substrates from agricultural residues, wood chips, gypsum, and lime, then, conducting a first-stage mycelium cultivation under controlled conditions with a temperature of 20-30°C with no light and low oxygen for 40-70 days, grinded while adding water and wheat flour, and conducting a second-stage mycelium cultivation under a temperature of 20-30°C with no light and low oxygen for 7-10 days and reconducting the cultivation under a controlled temperature of 18-25°C with open air until a color of mycelium fibre is changed. After that, baking at 90-95°C for 30-40 minutes

[0009] Chinese patent application no. CN107510375A discloses heat-resistant blocks made from and preparing method thereof with materials comprising biomass adhesive, synthesized mullite from rice, husks, ash, mineral composition, Poss composite, plant fibers, sodium silicate and water-resistance unit, using binder such as flour, lime, red clay, clay and brown sugar wherein flour that is used for composition of binder is glutinous flour, com starch, processed glutinous flour or processed com starch.

[0010] From the above aforementioned patents, patents were filed for a protection under the scope of manufacturing method of material with mycelium fiber where there are several differences in preparation process, mixing process and condition controls with various components such as biomass, binders, mycelium fiber and other involving objectives to the present invention.

[0011] According to the present invention, the composite material with high biomass has been researched and developed to achieve reduced density, lightweight property, environmental durability, and impact resistance. This high-biomass composite comprises binder, bio-aggregate material and water wherein binder comprising lime-based adhesive and natural or modified starch.

[0012] Summary of the Invention

[0013] The invention pertains to a composite material with high biomass content comprising a binder bio-aggregate material and water. The binder is composed of a lime-based adhesive and natural or modified starch. The method of producing the high-biomass -content composite material includes mixing the components thoroughly to achieve a homogeneous mixture, then pouring into a mold and cooling down. Afterwards, the composite material is set to be solidified through steam heating and then drying by moisture evaporation to achieve composite material with high biomass. The objective of this invention is to develop composite materials with high biomass to achieve properties such as reduced density, lightweight, environmental durability, impact resistance, and enhanced strength. This is achieved by increasing the proportion of biomass in the material through the use of bio-aggregate materials and a binder comprising starch and lime-based adhesive, thereby reducing the cost of raw materials in the composite formulation.

[0014] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0015] This invention relates to composite materials with high biomass content, aimed at reducing density, lowering weight, and enhancing the strength of high-biomass materials. Additionally, it seeks to reduce raw material costs by replacing conventional materials with biomass. The composite material incorporates starch as a component, which may be directly processed from natural sources or modified to improve its adhesion properties for enhancing molecular matrix bonding within the composite. For example, lime-based bio-aggregates, wood-plastic composites, fiber cement, and living materials formed using fungal or bacterial microorganisms to produce fibers. Strength enhancement involves additional steps beyond standard composite molding processes.

[0016] The high-biomass -content composite material comprises the following components:

[0017] Binder 20 - 80% by weight

[0018] Bio-aggregate 10 - 60 % by weight

[0019] Water 10 - 70 % by weight wherein the binder comprising lime-based adhesive selected from any of lime, gypsum, blast furnace slag, fly ash, silica fume, or metakaolin, or combination thereof, mixed with starch selected from any of natural starch, modified starch or combination thereof. The amount of natural starch is preferably in a range from 5-70% by weight when combined with lime -based adhesive, while modified starch ranges from 0.3-70% by weight.

[0020] The bio-aggregate is selected from any of mycelium fibers, biomass fibers, rice husks, corn stalks, com cobs, hemp husks or combination thereof. Biomass fibers are selected from any of coconut husk, coir fiber, palm fiber, areca fiber, pineapple fiber, banana leaves, bamboo powder, or water hyacinth fiber or in combination.

[0021] The production method for the composite material with high biomass comprising the following process: a.) Mixing the binder with bio-aggregate and water at specified ratios to achieve homogeneity using a homogenizer at a temperature of 25-40°C. b.) Pouring the mixture from step a.) into a composite material mold and allowing it to rest for 4-50 days while maintaining a temperature of 20-40°C. If modified starch is used, a moisture evaporation process is provided by heating the composite material in the mold at a temperature of 25-250°C for 2-19 hours. c.) Curing the composite material from step b.) with the stem heating at a temperature of

[0022] 50-100°C under 60-90% for 4-60 minutes. d.) Drying the composite material in the mold from the step c.) by moisture evaporation through heating at 25-250°C for 25-250°C for 2-19 hours, resulting in the composite material with high biomass. wherein the binder prepared from lime-based adhesive and starch is mixed homogeneously using a homogenizer for 3-15 minutes at a temperature of 25-40°C

[0023] Best Mode of the Invention As described in the Detailed Description of the Invention section.

Claims

Claims1. A composite material with high biomass content comprising binder 20 - 80% by weight, bio-aggregate 10 - 60 % by weight, and water 10 - 70 % by weight.

2. The composite material with high biomass content according to claim 1, wherein the binder comprises a lime-based adhesive mixed with starch.

3. The composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the lime-based adhesive is selected from a group consisting of lime, gypsum, blast furnace slag, fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin, or combinations thereof.

4. The composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 2, wherein the starch is selected from any of natural starch, modified starch, or combinations thereof.

5. The composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 2 or 4, wherein the appropriate amount of the natural starch to be combined with the lime-based adhesive is preferably in a range from 5-70% by weight.

6. The composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 2 or 4, wherein the appropriate amount of the modified starch to be combined with the lime-based adhesive is preferably in a range from 0.3-70% by weight.

7. The composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 1, wherein the bio-aggregate is selected from any of mycelium fibers, biomass fibers, rice husks, corn stalks, corn cobs, hemp husks, or combinations thereof.

8. The composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 7 , wherein the biomass fibers are selected from any of coconut husk, coir fiber, palm fiber, areca fiber, pineapple fiber, banana leaves, bamboo powder, water hyacinth fibers, or combinations thereof.

9. A method for producing a composite material with high biomass content comprising the following steps:a) mixing the binder with the bio-aggregate and water in specified ratios to form a homogeneous mixture using a homogenizer at a temperature of 25-40°C; b) pouring the mixture obtained in step (a) into a composite material mold and allowing it to rest for 4-50 days under controlled temperatures of 20-40°C, wherein, if the modified starch is used, a moisture evaporation process is provided by heating the composite material in the mold at a temperature of 25-250°C for 2- 19 hours; c) curing the composite material in the mold obtained from step (b) with steam heating at a temperature of 50-100°C under humidity of 60-90% for 4-60 minutes; and d) drying the composite material in the mold obtained from step c.) by moisture evaporation through heating at a temperature of 25-250°C for 2-19 hours to obtain the composite material with high biomass content.

10. The method for producing a composite material with high biomass content according to Claim 9 , wherein the binder is prepared by mixing the lime-based adhesive and starch homogeneously using a homogenizer for 3-15 minutes at a temperature of 25-40°C.