Innovation in bio-based materials continues to move forward within BLADE2CIRC, with developments aimed at making composite materials used in wind energy more sustainable.
Centexbel is working on textile reinforcements made from lignin, a material with great potential as a greener alternative and as a precursor for carbon fiber.
Lignin is a natural compound found in wood and other plant parts, providing strength and stability to plant fibers. As a renewable, plant-based resource, it offers a more environmentally friendly option for producing technical fibers and textile reinforcements. Within BLADE2CIRC, lignin is being tested together with PAN to create hybrid fabrics, advancing towards more sustainable materials for the wind energy sector.
To achieve this, the team has used its specialized facilities, which allow working with fabrics of smaller and more complex shapes, using narrow-width weaving machines and multilayer braiding equipment. This has enabled the first trials and the development of the initial fabric prototypes.
In the first phase, trials were carried out using PAN (polyacrylonitrile) fibers to ensure they could be woven correctly. Once this was validated, the fibers were combined with lignin fibers developed by the consortium, allowing new configurations to be tested and hybrid fabrics to be produced.
The first prototypes combine PAN and lignin fibers and represent an important step forward in integrating bio-based materials into more complex textile structures. These developments mark a positive move toward more sustainable solutions in the wind energy industry.
Overall, these advances demonstrate that lignin can become a key resource for the production of sustainable textile reinforcements, opening new opportunities in the composites sector and helping reduce the environmental impact of wind turbine blades.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our work to transform the wind energy industry and create a greener, more sustainable future.
