Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Université de Sherbrooke
$62,340.00
Flax fiber-reinforced materials for building and structural applications
FY 2016-17
Summary
Natural fibers are an abundant, low-cost, and generally underutilized resource. Often, they are produced as waste by-products of industrial or agricultural processes. In Canada, for example, flax is grown primarily for its oilseed, and the straw is discarded or burned as a waste material. However, the fiber within the straw is one of the most durable and strong natural fibers, making it an ideal candidate for an effective fiber reinforcement in composite materials. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of flax in the world with close to 600 000 tons of flax produced in 2013/2014, making oilseed flax a readily available source of fibers. Protec-Style is presently producing flax fibers (FF) from the processing of oilseed or fiber flax plant. They are hydrophilic and their surface can be easily modified to improve compatibility and dispersion within matrices, making them efficient in reinforcing brittle polymer and in stabilizing cracks when insert in a concrete matrix. Currently, there is a critical need for advanced building materials for the domestic infrastructure, not only for new high-performance construction, but also to repair and enhance the performance of existing structures. These materials are required to be increasingly more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, sustainable, affordable, and resilient. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) are more and more used in construction. FRP are inexpensive, lightweight, and resistant alternatives to typical construction materials (i.e. steel, concrete, wood) for building (i.e. siding, panel, and roofing) and structural applications (i.e. external reinforcement, sheets). On the other hand, concrete is often and traditionally reinforced with fibers made of steel or polymer to increase tensile strength and improve ductility. This research and development project will enable to improve profitability and the environmental performances of Protec-Style, to elaborate some innovating materials ready to be used by FRP manufacturer and concrete supplier (Béton provincial). In addition, the project will enable to develop a new type of filaments, that is renewable and use highly available resources in Canada for its manufacture.
Program
Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
476400-2014
Name nom
TagnitHamou, Arezki
Department département
Génie civil
Organization id
68
Institution établissement
Université de Sherbrooke
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2016
Competition year année de concours
2014
Award amount
62340
Program id
CRDPJ
Program name en
Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Program name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement coopérative
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1208
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Materials sciences
Area of application fr
Sciences des matériaux
Research subject code
1000
Research subject group en
Civil engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie civil
Research subject en
Civil engineering
Research subject fr
Génie civil
Partie
2
Nb partie
3
Application title
Flax fiber-reinforced materials for building and structural applications
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Natural fibers are an abundant, low-cost, and generally underutilized resource. Often, they are produced as waste by-products of industrial or agricultural processes. In Canada, for example, flax is grown primarily for its oilseed, and the straw is discarded or burned as a waste material. However, the fiber within the straw is one of the most durable and strong natural fibers, making it an ideal candidate for an effective fiber reinforcement in composite materials. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of flax in the world with close to 600 000 tons of flax produced in 2013/2014, making oilseed flax a readily available source of fibers. Protec-Style is presently producing flax fibers (FF) from the processing of oilseed or fiber flax plant. They are hydrophilic and their surface can be easily modified to improve compatibility and dispersion within matrices, making them efficient in reinforcing brittle polymer and in stabilizing cracks when insert in a concrete matrix. Currently, there is a critical need for advanced building materials for the domestic infrastructure, not only for new high-performance construction, but also to repair and enhance the performance of existing structures. These materials are required to be increasingly more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, sustainable, affordable, and resilient. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) are more and more used in construction. FRP are inexpensive, lightweight, and resistant alternatives to typical construction materials (i.e. steel, concrete, wood) for building (i.e. siding, panel, and roofing) and structural applications (i.e. external reinforcement, sheets). On the other hand, concrete is often and traditionally reinforced with fibers made of steel or polymer to increase tensile strength and improve ductility. This research and development project will enable to improve profitability and the environmental performances of Protec-Style, to elaborate some innovating materials ready to be used by FRP manufacturer and concrete supplier (Béton provincial). In addition, the project will enable to develop a new type of filaments, that is renewable and use highly available resources in Canada for its manufacture.
