3D - BIOCOMED

The 3D-BIOCOMED project - 3D development of BIOCOMposites for the building sector involved the construction and testing of a demonstrator for 3D moulding of monobloc building elements for green building from natural fibre composites. The extruder and the 3D printer, acquired thanks to this intervention, have exceptional dimensions compared to the usual three-dimensional printers that usually print items of varied sizes and only produce single parts of a building. The composites of natural fibres (vegetable and mineral) and polymerizable compounds from traditional chemistry represent new materials, with the advantage that natural components are much more available if compared to traditional chemical components (epoxy and polyurethane resins). This innovative technique makes the business process more functional and less toxic. Moreover, thanks to these innovative materials it is easier to reach the final goal, which is to print an entire house using the machinery and this green building technique. It is not a question of assembling various types of pieces together anymore, but an actual whole house. The construction takes place on site on the designated building plot, thanks to the use of the printer. A great novelty on the market that builds structural elements with a stratigraphy that also guarantees the acoustic and thermal insulation required by law, without the aid of iron bars or other structure forming components A process and product innovation at the same time: at the basis of the research conducted by the team, in fact, there is the use of biological materials that are included in the patented special blend. This is how new experiments are born, starting from spartium junceum or broom fibres up to the milled cane, which can be reused as waste material, together with lime and other building materials.