Eco-Friendly Chitosan Composites: Transforming Miscanthus, Mushroom, Textile and Olive Waste into Sustainable Materials
Yasmina Khalaf,
Peter El Hage,
Souha Mansour,
Nicolas Brosse,
Julia Dimitrova Mihajlova,
Anne Bergeret,
Patrick Lacroix,
Roland El Hage
Affiliations
Yasmina Khalaf
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials (LCPM), Campus Fanar, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar, Jdeidet P.O. Box 90656, Lebanon
Peter El Hage
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials (LCPM), Campus Fanar, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar, Jdeidet P.O. Box 90656, Lebanon
Souha Mansour
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials (LCPM), Campus Fanar, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar, Jdeidet P.O. Box 90656, Lebanon
Nicolas Brosse
Laboratoire d′ Etude et de Recherche sur le Materiau Bois (LERMAB), Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Lorraine, Aiguillettes Boulevard, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
Julia Dimitrova Mihajlova
Department of Mechanical Wood Technology, Faculty of Forest Industry, University of Forestry, 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria
Anne Bergeret
Polymers Composites and Hybrids (PCH), IMT Mines Ales, 6 Avenue de Clavières, 30100 Ales, France
Patrick Lacroix
Greenpile, 18 Boulevard Edouard Lachaud, 19100 Brive La Gaillarde, France
Roland El Hage
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials (LCPM), Campus Fanar, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar, Jdeidet P.O. Box 90656, Lebanon
Recycling olive waste, a major by-product of the olive oil industry, presents significant environmental and economic benefits. This study explores the potential of olive waste (OW) by-products, specifically their individual components such as olive stones (OS), olive oily pomace (OS) and olive oil-free pomace (OF), as sustainable alternatives to wood in eco-friendly composite materials, alongside other residues such as miscanthus, spent mushroom substrate and recycled textile waste. Composite panels were produced with densities ranging from 685 to 907 kg/m3 through thermocompression. The manuscript details the production methodology and assesses the panel’s thermal performance, water absorption, and mechanical strength. The aim is to assess the viability of these alternative materials in producing composites that could serve as environmentally friendly substitutes for traditional wood-based products. Oil-free pomace is a promising and effective alternative to wood, suitable for dry environments. Composite panels composed of miscanthus or spent mushroom substrate and oil-free pomace met the EN 312 standards for general-purpose products in dry conditions, highlighting their potential for use in sustainable applications.
