JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009 - 26

BUSINESS Human capital A PhD student rewarded for his environmental concerns The JEC/SAMPE Environment Award was created to reward innovative studies with strong environmental concerns. Antoine Le Duigou, PhD student from the French University of South Brittany, received his Award from JEC’s President and CEO, Frédérique Mutel, at the 2009 SAMPE SEICO dinner just before the JEC Show Paris. Antoine Le Duigou won not only the recognition of the composite community, but also a ticket to Singapore to present his work on flax/PLLA biocomposites during the JEC Asia, to be held on 14-16 October 2009. he use of glass-fibre-reinforced polyester composites raises many health and environmental issues. An alternative could be to develop highperformance bio-based biocomposites with low environmental impact that could be recycled at end of use and biocomposted at end of life. However, few works have dealt with interfacial properties so far, although a better understanding would improve both mechanical properties and durability. T (cooling rate and annealing) to evaluate the influence of matrix and interfacial morphologies, as well as residual stress on interfacial properties. Various micromechanical models were used to determine interfacial shear strength. At a low cooling rate, enhanced interfacial properties were observed due to a transcristallization phenomenon. Annealing under glass transition temperature of quasi-amorphous PLLA microdroplets was achieved. The residual stresses were released, thus reducing interfacial properties. This interesting topic will be developed further in a future paper. More information LIMATB (Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des MATériaux de Bretagne) is located at the University of South Brittany in Lorient. Work at the laboratory focuses on polymers and composites, and mechanical and thermal engineering. Biocomposites research began in 1997. The IFREMER Materials and Structures group is located in Brest. The group’s research focuses on materials for marine applications. Contact: antoine.le-duigou@univ-ubs.fr TESTIMONY OF ANTOINE LE DUIGOU, PHD STUDENT, LIMATB, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH BRITTANY, FRANCE More information: www.jeccomposites.com Acknowledgments Antoine Le Duigou and his supervisors wish to thank the Brittany region for its financial support under the NAVECOMAT Project on developing biocomposites for marine composites. Plasmor, Finot, French marine research institute Ifremer, the University of South Brittany, and Catherine Chabaud are all involved in this project. Presentation of the JEC/SAMPE Environment Award (From left to right): 1- Adrie Kwakernaak, Membership & Treasurer of SAMPE Europe, Technical University Delft, The Netherlands 2- Antoine Le Duigou, PhD student at LIMATB, University of South Brittany, France 3- Frédérique Mutel, President and CEO of JEC, France 4- Luigi Torre, President of SAMPE Europe, University of Perugia, Italy Study of flax fibre/poly(Llactide) interfacial bonding Antoine Le Duigou’s work describes the interfacial characterization of a flax fibre/poly(lactic) acid (PLLA) system at the microscale, using the microbond test. Different thermal treatments were applied JEC Composites Magazine: How did you feel when you knew that you had won the JEC/SAMPE Environment Award? ANTOINE LE DUIGOU: After winning the JEC/SAMPE award, I felt a blend of happiness and pride. Pride for me, my PhD guides, and the laboratory. I look forward to presenting my work at JEC Show Asia. I’m sure it will be a great opportunity to meet people and to learn a lot. 26 jec composites magazine / No50 July-August 2009

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #50 - July/August 2009

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