Project: Extrudierte und Co‐extrudierte Profile aus pflanzenreststoffverstärkten Biokunststoffen für Fenster und weitere architektonische Anwendungen
Project Type: Research-Industrial Project Grant
Funding Body:  BMEL – Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR), German Government
Project Partner: Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Naftex GmbH, Profine GmbH, ETS Extrusionstechnik Mathias Stange
Role: Principle Investigator
Period: 2017– 2020

The BioProfile project pursues research on extruded and coextruded profiles for windows frames and exterior architectural applications, especially façade panels, made of plant residues as a source for natural fibres reinforced by biopolymers.

Although different environmental impacts of manufacturing windows and facade elements were taken into consideration by many partners involved in the building industry sector, yet bio-based fibre reinforced materials have not still been able to supplement PVC even partially in the production of façade and windows profiles. Aim of the BioProfile project is the development of a marketable window and façade profiles made of both biopolymers and renewable plant residuals with bio-based additives. Façade and windows systems play an important role in modern architecture and construction industry. The project focuses on both material composition and fabrication process for extrusion and coextrusion to encounter the multitude of requirements for window and facade profiles, such as flame protection, UV resistance, thermomechanical impacts, heat transmission behavior and formability to achieve various geometrical possibilities suiting different architectural designs.

The natural fibres used for reinforcement of applied biopolymers derive as residues from annually renewable and regionally grown agricultural plants. By developing techniques for the processing and valorization of plant residues as well as exploring its application in building elements, the BioProfile project offers a double solution for the reduction of resource consumption and improving the environmental impacts of the building industry.