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FAIR-CT96-1697
Validation of Raw Materials Coming From Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) |
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Proposal No: | FAIR-CT96-1697 |
| Date Prepared: | July 2000, July 1998 | |
| Source: | Final Report Report First Annual Progress Report |
Objectives
The overall aim of this project was to set up the technical and economic framework for the use of kenaf derived raw materials in the manufacture of various products. This aim was accomplished by starting from specific objectives as follows:
Technical aspects:
Economical aspects
Activities
The project was carried out by a consortium of participants each specialised in their respective work areas: from the agriculture production, through intermediate processing to their industrial use, as well as the economic studies related with them. It should be noted that the Greek participant left the project at the end of the first year of activities.
The work that has been carried out, was as follows:
Results
The evaluation of the performance of varieties in field has shown the influence that earliness has on the productivity of fibre production in the field. However, the varietal variation was most marked under the most favourable environmental conditions. With crops grown at the extremes of the climatic limits, the results tended to be equal regardless of the cultivar used. The trend observed during the first year were substantiated during the second year of evaluation in the field, verifying influence of varieties on kenaf productivity and the relationship with the environmental conditions under which the crop was grown.
The varietal evaluation was complemented with further trials in four different locations around the Iberian Peninsula. The only location where the theoretical expectations of yields were fulfilled was Ecija, where the crop reached over 24 ton/ha. In other locations (Albacete, Almazan and Andujar), productive levels reached between 9.6 and 12.4 ton/ha and were around 40% lower than the theoretical maximum that would correspond to the climatic and soil conditions of each area. However, this does not mean that these are exceptionally low levels. If they are compared with kenaf productivity in other European countries, they are similar to those considered acceptable in, for example, many Italian regions.
The evaluation of kenaf fibrous material has shown the importance the varietal and geographic origin, the method of conservation and the effect that the (mechanical in general) pre-treatments of separation, have on the raw material that will be used in industrial processes for various final uses. The technical viability of various fibre pre-treatments has been verified. These include methods used for separating constituents (physical separation such as flax fibre separating system) or for chemical modification.
Studies on board production indicated that it may be possible to incorporate up to 30% kenaf shiv in UF bonded chipboard panels without significantly impairing panel properties. From a technical point of view MDF could be manufactured from at least 30% kenaf whole stem mixed with softwood to yield panels with properties which would be 'fit for use' in many of the key applications for the product. Results indicated that kenaf material could be incorporated in both chipboard and MDF at levels of up to 10% without significantly affecting panel properties. At levels of inclusion greater than 10%, however, cost implications arise from the use of kenaf material. Experimental chipboard panels manufactured in the laboratory solely from kenaf, for example, required the addition of UF resin at levels up to 60% higher than reference panels in order to equal the properties of those panels.
This work has also indicated that kenaf core can be incorporated in chipboard at levels of up to 10% without a requirement for unique pre-processing regimes; whole stem material can be included in MDF at levels of up to 10% on the same basis. At comparable fibre weight fractions kenaf fibre reinforced composites had a comparable flexural modulus to those of composites reinforced with either flax or hemp fibre. The performance of kenaf fibre non-woven mulch mats was found to be similar to that of hemp fibre mats, having a performance score of 10 (out of 20). Similarly, as do all other natural fibre materials, kenaf fibre mats performed relatively poorly compared to plastic materials.
The combination of kenaf and coupling agent in PP and HDPE polymers successfully improved the flexural properties. Production of kenaf/PP/MAPP compounds could successfully be scaled up from (batch wise) kneader processing to (continuous) extruder processing. Composites made of kenaf/PP/MAPP were compared with PP, which is compounded with other fibres such as flax, hemp and jute. Results indicated that kenaf technically can compete with these fibres as reinforcer of PP.
Kenaf fibres were acetylated in order to enhance their durability for use as geotextiles. Estimation of the predicted long-term durability of acetylated kenaf non- woven products has been performed with an accelerated soil burial test under controlled conditions. These tests showed that weight and consistency of the acetylated kenaf non-wovens are much longer maintained as compared to the untreated product. The lifetime enhancement is comparable to similarly treated flax and jute fibre products and will be at least 3 times under field test conditions (tatuds, embankments).
The use as substrates (replacing straw) for producing edible fungi is completely new. Kenaf fibre has been shown to be an optimum raw material as compared to the cereal straw traditionally used. The tests carried out at a commercial level have proved that supplementation with a new formulation of the calprozyme (NPP; France) makes the substrates made with Kenaf core ideal for growing of Pleurotus ostreatus.
A technical card was produced for each Spanish Comunidad Autonoma that included the most interesting information for different regions have been elaborated. These are of value to in determining the interest kenaf can have in a particular area. In addition, based on the studies carried out for different agricultural areas, brief instructions have been printed covering some general aspects of growing kenaf in each region of Spain. The conclusions of this project can form the basis for future political decisions taken in respect of investment in growing kenaf.
Summary
Objectives The general objective of this project is to set up the technical and economic framework for the use of kenaf raw materials in the manufacture of derived-products. This aim must be accomplished starting from specific objectives that include:
Technical aspects
Economical aspects
Description of work
The activities that have been carried out, were those planned for the first year of activity as follows.
State of progress
The progress has been very good, and some addition activities that were not planned, have been carried out, for instance, crop fertilisation tests have been done in kenaf production plots and new products produced from fibre have been evaluated. As far as the planned works are concerned, the results have been as follows.
The varietal evaluation in field has shown the influence of earliness on the production of fibre in the field. However, the varietal differences are most noticeable under the most favourable environmental conditions, since in crops located at the geographical limits, the results tended to be equal regardless the cultivar used.
The evaluation of kenaf fibre indicated the importance of variety and geographic origin as well as the effects of the methods of conservation and pre-treatments (mechanical in general) and separation, have on the raw material prepared as raw material for use in various industrial processes, with different final uses.
The technical viability of various pre-treatments of the fibre were verified. These included methods for separating constituents (physical separation) and chemical modification. These results will checked against activities that will be carried out during the second year of the project.
The end-products produced from kenaf fibre have been evaluated. So far results indicate that it is necessary to improve the processes in order to fit them, appropriately, to the characteristics of the raw material. Nevertheless, in an area that is completely new, where they are used as the substrates for producing edible fungi, kenaf fibre has been shown to be an optimum raw material when compared to the cereal straw traditionally used.
Finally, the economic data collected and analysed during this first year of activity have been quite important since they have enabled definition of the factors affect the various parts of the kenaf production chain so that, by the end of the project, the economic analysis should have a solid basis.
Achievements
The results for this first period of activity have been satisfactory, although it is too soon to define specific achievements. However, at the end of the second period, milestone 1 (Characterisation of materials coming from variety test and process of separation) and 2 (To evaluate the potential for using chemically modified core material from kenaf for recovery and recycling of metal ions and oils in industrial effluent) will be achieved.
The most important achievements can be summarised in the form of answers to two general aspects:
the importance of the variety on primary productivity
the technical viability of using kenaf-based raw material for final products other, other than use for paper as produced so far
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03/07/2007
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