Aliphatic polyester binder technology for bio-based organic fiber composites

Overview

Insarec has developed a proprietary technology that uses aliphatic polyesters as binders for organic fibers to produce composite materials suited for construction applications. The resulting materials are 100% bio-based and can be recycled repeatedly, addressing both sustainability and end-of-life challenges in the construction sector.

The technology has been demonstrated with virgin PLA and is now being extended to incorporate recycled PHA and PLA, including post-consumer waste streams that may contain contaminants such as barrier layers. This recycled feedstock approach strengthens the business case by reducing reliance on virgin materials while maintaining material performance. Insarec has partnered with a company applying these composites at large scale.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Aliphatic polyesters (virgin PLA, recycled PLA, recycled PHA, or blends thereof) serve as the binder phase
• Compatible with a range of organic fibers and fillers
• Tolerates additional materials including paper, other plastics, and inorganic fillers such as clay, CaCO3, and SiO2 without compromising performance
• Proprietary blending process followed by pressing to the desired format
• Can process contaminated post-consumer PHA/PLA waste streams, including material with barrier layer residues
• Ability to tune mechanical properties by blending virgin PLA with recycled binder when needed
• Produces 100% bio-based, fully recyclable end products

Technology readiness level

The technology is at an advanced proof-of-concept stage. Laboratory validation has been completed using virgin aliphatic polyesters and recycled plastics (PE, PVC, and others) to identify optimal binder-additive combinations. The next stage involves scaling up to produce larger parts (at least 1 square meter) for evaluation by Insarec's construction-sector partner. Key remaining validation steps include determining the maximum percentage of virgin PLA that can be replaced by recycled PLA/PHA without compromising mechanical properties, followed by large-format part production and end-use testing in construction material applications.