The aim of this research study is to carry out a quantitative and comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as outlined in ISO Standard 14044: 2006, on natural fibres vs. glass fibres as reinforcements for polymer matrix composites to establish the most sustainable option.

Flax, currently grown commercially in Europe and the most resource intensive of the common bast fibres, is selected as the candidate fibre for this study. The results of the study should help to confirm or refute the proposition that natural fibres are the more suitable option for a sustainable society.

At the initial stage the scope of the study is cradle-to-gate:  (a) for natural fibre: to quantify the energy inputs at every stage in flax cultivation from preparing the land through the use of agro-chemicals to harvest and then fibre processing; (b) for glass fibre: to quantify the energy inputs at every stage of fibre production from raw material extraction, crushing, melting, refining, forming, spinning and curing into a comparable reinforcement form for composites.

The study will also help to identify whether the use of natural fibres as reinforcement for composites is truly environmentally beneficial over manmade fibres with respect to the initial production processes.

If you have an interest in this topic, please contact Nilmini Dissanayake.