Hemp fines - an agricultural by-product for biocomposites? A holistic approach

The technical, environmental and economic potential of hemp fines as a natural filler in bioplastics to produce biocomposites is the subject of this study – giving a holistic overview. Hemp fines are an agricultural by-product of the hemp fibres and shives production. Shives and fibres are for example used in the paper, animal bedding or composite area. About 15 to 20 wt.-% per kg hemp straw results in hemp fines after processing. In 2010 about 11,439 metric tons of hemp fines were produced in Europe. Hemp fines are an inhomogeneous material which includes hemp dust, shives and fibre. For these examinations the hemp fines are sieved in a further step with a tumbler sieving machine to obtain more specified fractions. The untreated hemp fines (ex work) as well as the sieved fractions are combined with a polylactide polymer (PLA) using a co-rotating twin screw extruder to produce biocomposites with different hemp fine content. By using an injection moulding machine standard test bars are produced to conduct several material tests. The Young’s modulus is increased and the impact strength reduced by hemp fines. With a content of above 15 wt.-% hemp fines are also improving the environmental (global warming potential) and economic performance in comparison to pure PLA.

Biopolymers - facts and statistics

The IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites is a research institute within the Hochschule Hannover, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, which was established in 2011 to respond to the growing need for expert knowledge in the area of bioplastics. With its practice-oriented research and its collaboration with industrial partners, the IfBB is able to shore up the market for bioplastics and, in addition, foster unbiased public awareness and understanding of the topic. As an independent research-led expert institution for bioplastics, the IfBB is willing to share its expertise, research findings and data with any interested party via the Internet, online and offline publications or at fairs and conferences. In carrying on these efforts, substantial information regarding market trends, processes and resource needs for bioplastics is being presented here in a concise format, in addition to the more detailed and comprehensive publication and “Engineering Biopolymers”1. One of our main concerns is to furnish a more rational basis for discussing bioplastics and use fact-based arguments in the public discourse. Furthermore, “Biopolymers – facts and statistics” aims to provide specific, qualified answers easily and quickly for decision-makers in particular from public administration and the industrial sector. Therefore, this publication is made up like a set of rules and standards and largely foregoes textual detail. It offers extensive market-relevant and technical facts presented in graphs and charts, which means that the information is much easier to grasp. The reader can expect comparative market figures for various materials, regions, applications, process routes, agricultural land use or resource consumption, production capacities, geographic distribution, etc.