An emphasis on sustainable new materials was notable from the three winners of the JEC Composites Startup Booster announced at JEC World 24 on March 5^th in Paris.

US company ZILA BioWorks, based in Renton, Washington, has developed a patented high bio-content epoxy resin for use in industrial composites, coatings and adhesives. It is said to significantly reduce carbon emissions in composites production and will enable recyclability for high-performance materials across multiple industries. The company’s drop-in bio-resin systems are formulated to allow manufacturers to adopt them without any retooling.

TechnoCarbon Technologies, based in Vitrolles, France, is the developer of a patented product called CarbonFibreStone (CFS) which is being targeted at the building and construction sector and is said to outperform both steel and reinforced concrete.

The granite or basalt and carbon fibre-layered composite material is cured at relatively low temperature compared to other materials such as metals or cement, enabling substantial energy savings in its manufacturing and resulting in a footprint 90% lower than that of traditional materials.

BioHalo of Denmark has meanwhile developed a range of bio-based materials as safe, eco-friendly and high-performance replacements for those containing harmful PFAS.

“Supporting this competition gives us the ability to identify innovations early in the key area of composites that we would not otherwise discover,” said judging panel member Jelle Bloemhof, head of composites manufacturing technologies at Airbus. “JEC Startup Booster is just the first step towards broader collaboration opportunities. It facilitates an introduction between participants and industry end-users, providing the opportunity to engage directly and discuss. The diversity of ideas is inspiring, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.”

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