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In this study, flax shives were selectively milled and then used as a starting material to be grafted to a fluorophore whose fluorescence varies under pH. The resulting fluorescent shives were processed with poly-(butylene-terephthalate) (PBAT) by extrusion to produce a filament reinforced with 10 %-wt of flax shives, which was the subsequently 3D printed. Extensive microstructural characterization (particle size and shape analysis, X-ray microtomography) demonstrated that the flax particles were homogeneously distributed into the 3D printed material. Despite the relatively low content of fluorescent flax shives in the final 3D printed material (1%-wt) and successive heating stages (during extrusion and 3D printing), a strong fluorescent emission could still be conserved.

This work is the results of a cooperation between FARE lab in Reims, IATE in Montpellier together with IRDL in Lorient and was made possible with fundings from INRAE (FluoFlax4D project) and EU Marie-Curie (SmartPOP project). It paves the way for using fluorescent flax shives as reinforcements into composites, thus making 4D materials with potential applications as sensors depending on the fluorophore used.

Read: Mayer-Laigle C, Foulon L, Denoual C, Pernes M, Rondet E, Magueresse A, Barron C, Habrant A, Bourmaud A, Paës G* (2021) Flax shives-PBAT processing into 3D printed fluorescent materials with potential sensor functionalities. Indusrial Crops and Products 167, 113482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113482

Contact: Dr Gabriel Paës, gabriel.paes@inrae.fr