Bio-based textile coatings and composites

Abstract Due to their characteristic (flexible, lightweight, and strong) properties, textiles have a wide range of applications: clothing, interior textiles, technical textiles (e.g., medical textiles, automotive textiles, etc.). Properties of textiles will vary according to the type of fibers they are composed of. For all applications textiles need to meet stringent performance requirements. Therefore, textiles need to be treated with chemicals to impart new properties or to enhance their existing properties. This step is called textile coating and finishing. Textiles are also nowadays increasingly applied in composites (aerospace, automotive, sports, and marine industries). A wide variety of textile structures are used as reinforcement in advanced composite structures. Textiles composites are a combination of (bio-based)polymer matrix and (bio-based)textile reinforcement. Changes in legislation and consumers’ mindset result in an increased use of bio-based materials in textile coatings and composites. In this chapter an overview is presented of the work done in our institute, other research laboratories, and companies in the domain of implementing bio-based materials in textile reinforced composites and textile coating and finishing. The development and production of bio-based fibers for textiles is widely reported and will not be discussed in this chapter.