By SIMON COLLINS, science reporter
Paints, glues and other chemical products could be made out of New Zealand bark and wool instead of oil, thanks to a new network of the country's research groups.
A $7.5 million Centre of Advanced Composite Materials, opened at Auckland University's Tamaki campus by Science Minister Pete Hodgson, will be the core of the new "Biopolymer Network".
The network brings together researchers at Rotorua's Forest Research Institute, the former Wool Research Institute (now Canesis) and Crop & Food Research, with $10.2 million over the next six years from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
Forest Research's science futures manager, Dr Russell Burton, said the network aimed to develop paints, glues, cosmetics, shampoos and packaging materials out of renewable natural fibres.
Canesis has already developed wool-based emulsifiers for healthcare products, and Forest Research is in discussions with an international company which may take up its invention of a bark-based adhesive.
The Auckland University centre is working with the plastics industry to develop recyclable plastics based on wood and other natural fibres which could meet tough new European Union regulations which require that products can be recycled.
Boat engineering firm High Modulus, which has worked with the university on materials for America's Cup yachts since the 1980s, is developing recyclable boats for customers such as Toyota, which wants all its products to be recyclable.
High Modulus managing director Richard Downs-Honey said Toyota demanded that the hulls of its boats, built by Henderson's McDell Marine, be made of recyclable aluminium rather than fibreglass.
The Tamaki centre is also working with Air New Zealand on new materials for jet aircraft which may be adopted by Boeing.
The centre director, Professor Debes Bhattacharyya, has taught mechanical engineering at the university since 1980. Downs-Honey was one of his first students.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland
Wool and bark the new plastic
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