Hemp Snowboard Wins in Its Category at JEC Composites Innovation Awards

Germany’s silbaerg GmbH emerged as the winner in the Sports, Leisure, & Recreation category at the annual JEC Composites Innovation Awards with its "green" snowboard made using anisotropic coupling effect (A.L.D.-tech) processing technology. Partners in the effort included Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut (Germany), bto-epoxy (Austria), Circular MTC (Germany), and SachsenLeinen GmbH (Germany).

All of the winners in the 11 categories were revealed during the JEC Composites Innovation Awards ceremony in Paris on Feb. 8, 2024.

Silbaerg’s "green" snowboard incorporates natural hemp fibers and recycled carbon fibers for reinforcement. Image courtesy of silbaerg GmbH.

The snowboard employs the patented A.L.D.-tech to incorporate hemp and recycled carbon fibers into a bio-based epoxy resin matrix. An innovative dry-fiber-placement (DFP) process is used for the production of hybrid hemp and recycled carbon fiber (rCF) snowboard preforms. The process formerly only used continuous virgin carbon fibers.

Thanks to the material properties of the hemp tape and the directional rCF nonwovens, both can be processed automatically using DFP. This saves 75% of cutting waste of hemp fibers and uses the cutting waste of carbon fibers in other silbaerg snowboards to save cost and reduce the CO₂ footprint.

Another mobility-related entry in this category was a full-carbon wheel set for racing bikes from Switzerland’s Radiate Engineering & Design AG in collaboration with compatriot Scott Sports SA. The Capital SL wheel set for bicycles reportedly represents a breakthrough in lightweight, aerodynamic design. It fully exploits carbon fiber through a patented manufacturing method and simulation-based engineering approach.

Full-carbon wheel set gives professional cyclists a competitive edge. Image courtesy of Radiate Engineering & Design AG.

The Capital SL wheel set embodies advances in composites and bicycle technology alike. It features a monocoque wheel system for integrated rim-spoke construction, thereby enhancing structural integrity. Unique carbon-fiber spokes, part of the monocoque structure, eliminate traditional interfaces, improving load transfer and reducing stress, according to the company.

The development leveraged simulation technologies such as FEM, optimization algorithms, and real-world testing, optimizing the wheel’s stiffness, weight, and safety. Additionally, aerodynamic efficiency was a focus. The resulting wheel set gives competitive cyclists an edge, with seven percent drag reduction, 20% less rotational inertia, and the lowest system weight in its class.