Browsing by Subject "Biomaterials, biopolymers"
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Item Restricted Algae bioplastic : relevance, challenges and solutions(2018) Arndt, Christina; Hillmann-Regett, Jan; Krupka, Katrin; Faculty of Architecture and Design; Berlin International University of Applied Sciences"The main research question is whether algae plastic in its current development is a suitable replacement for traditional or crude oil-based plastic. I stipulate that algae plastic can be used to make more sustainable products that have similar if not equal material qualities to non-bio plastic. Plastic is detrimental for the planet and the way we consume it is far beyond careless. Designers and researchers alike have long identified the problem and have put more focus in the last decades on creating sustainable products and working more and more in unison. Lately bio-plastics have become popular in both design applications and research studies, but they have many issues from recycling, to CO2 emissions to sourcing. Most use crops as their base influencing food availability and price. Cultivating algae does not compete with crops as it can grow in specialized bioreactors, or can be directly harvested from the ocean, sometimes even as algae bloom, which is potentially harmful for the environment. Algae and micro-algae are one of the fastest growing natural resources, so once demand rises and there for production methods are more sustainable and economically viable it will be significantly cheaper than crude oil-based plastic. Right now, due to its novelty algae-based plastic is not commercially available to the full extent that it could be. In my research I will determine the challenges and suitability of algae plastic by secondary research, case study and expert interviews and its value for material development in product design. A product development process will determine the stability of algae bioplastic with the help of CAD simulations. The aim is to find a practical and eco-friendly solution-based design innovation replacing a crude oil-based plastic material product with a biopolymer from seaweed, ideally creating a solution that is cradle to cradle, with a strong investigative focus on products for the aquatic environmentItem Restricted Digital fabrication and bioplastics : applications for interior design(2018) Gaspari, Laura; Martín, Javier; Pöğün-Zander, Yüksel; Faculty of Architecture and Design; Berlin International University of Applied Sciences"Over the last 50 years, digital fabrication has shaped the world of design and industrial production, reducing the gaps between digital technologies and the process of physical construction. In addition, issues related to climate change and carbon emissions have played a major role in the development of new sustainable materials. Although organic alternatives to plastic are in the process of being explored and developed, their application in interior design is still very limited. The reason for this can partly be attributed to the limited productive possibilities of these materials. In recent years, there has been a focus in the industry on combining such organic alternatives to plastic with digital manufacturing in the hope of achieving high-quality results for industrial applications. This gives rise to the question: is the manufacturing of bioplastic through digital fabrication a key tool in efforts to increase its applications in architecture and interior projects?"Item Restricted Rethinking interior acoustic materials : the mycelium-based acoustic absorber : research into the opportunities of substrates(2020) Gloyer, Anna-Maria; Martín, Javier; Starck, Adrian von; bachelor thesis in Interior Design"Rethink interior acoustics addresses a field which is very much part of the time we live in. The 21st century has just started, and the drive for sustainability, the care for our environment is going strong. [...] It's a designer's duty nowadays to find solutions to recycle materials or which can be grown soil-independent, such as mycelium. [...] As studies show, noise has a huge impact on work efficiency, concentration, and health (BAUX 2020, p. 88). No matter the setting. If it's an office, a private property, or a production facility. Therefore, the topic embraces a new material called mycelium with noise reducing qualities solving toxic material problems. That is the key motivation of this thesis. To find proof that a truly sustainable material can solve acoustic issues. It is most likely to focus on acoustic absorbers since they enhance speech intelligibility and reduce noise. To reach this goal, the thesis will explore the absorbent qualities of mycelium-based acoustic absorbers which are only produced by one single company worldwide. The product is new to our time, but the mycelium is part of the first micro-organisms that were living on our planet; so, it is worth to have a closer look at this astonishing system of an ever growing material source. [...] The thesis is a research-based study. The research is structured in two categories, which will then conclude in an overall result. The hypothesis 'mycelium is ahead of common acoustic absorbers, regarding performance and sustainability' is proved by introducing acoustics with focus on absorption and analyse common interior acoustic products regarding sustainability. The main body consists of introducing mycelium and its substrates to come to a solid conclusion of the current state, opportunities, and limitations. The first part is the cornerstone for understanding the product. Acoustic absorption is framing the thesis from beginning to the end and opens the door for the mycelium-based acoustic absorber. The final part of the thesis will answer the hypothesis, of saying that the most efficient combination of substrate and mycelium will outperform common acoustical absorbers in performance and sustainability."