Next to the HZ location on the Edisonweg is the PSD shed, overlooking the water and the moored ships in Vlissingen’s Binnenhaven. In this shed, work is being done on the HZ solar boat and various studies are being carried out, including studies by our Biobased Building lectorate. In the shed there is a heat press to make biocomposites and mycelium composites. Below we list a number of projects that took place there last year.
MYCELIUM BOARDS
A team of three HZ minor students have been researching the heat pressing of mycelium composites within the project KIEM HBO Mycelium Boards: a heat press
and reinforcement study. Samples were made in the Material Incubator lab, which were then processed and pressed in the PSD shed. By varying the most important parameters
parameters (temperature, pressure and time), the students created insight into the influence of these parameters and obtained higher values than previously found in literature.
MECHANICAL RECYCLING THERMOSET BIOCOMPOSITES
Three HZ minor students conducted research on the mechanical recycling of thermoset composites, with the research question: What is a process to mechanically recycle or upcycle the used biobased thermoset composites to obtain an economically viable circular process? In the shed, the students conducted tests on applying the used composites as filler in new composites, by making samples with the heat press and performing three-point bending tests on them.
Would you like to know more about the projects and facilities at the PSD shed? Then please contact Joost Vette.