Binderfree Cellulose Compounds

Status

finished

Summary

"Zelfo" is a patented cellulose material by the company Zellform in Upper Austria. "Zelfo" consists of cellulose fibers which are prepared by a purely mechanical process that allows the formation of intramolecular bonds between the cellulose molecules during the drying process. Thus and due to the aggregation of the fibers very hard and mechanically stable materials can be produced completely without binders. The defibration of the input material is done in wet medium. The whole technology is related to the paper technology, although there are major differences in some details.

All cellulose containing materials are useable for Zelfo processing. These are raw materials of agricultural origin like flax, hemp, straw or sugarcane as well as waste paper or cotton waste. An addition of binders is not necessary. Thus the products consist of 100 % natural substances.

Some of the manufactured products are: hand crafted bowls for the Italian designer Giorgio Armani, the prototype of a chair for Wiesner Hager (a leading Austrian office furniture producer), boxes for drums and a small number of oval loudspeakers.

The aim of this research project is to develop a detailed material profile for suitable water- and weatherproof-systems of the cellulose-matrix. We want to enhance the Zelfo use range by identifying ecologically sound additives such as hydrophobising and UV-protection followed by thorough testing series in order to verify the desired properties of the outstanding material.

Contact

Alchemia-Nova Research Institute
Univ. Lektor Dipl.-Chem. Hanswerner Mackwitz
Obere Viaduktgasse 2/24
A 1030 Wien
Tel.: +43 1 9661000 oder +43 650 8101000
E-mail: hanswerner.mackwitz@chello.at