Abstract:

The recycling and reuse trends associated with the design of materials suggest a change of thought in the ideation field. Data projections regarding waste treatment in Chile indicate an increase in its assessment of up to 30% between 2018 and 2030. Specifically, the diverse nature, variable morphology, possible transformations and combinations of waste derived from production processes in the wood manufacturing sector in Chile, provide potential to integrate value to its use, enabling more efficient and sustainable dynamics. The article presents preliminary results of a research project carried out by the Universidad del Bío-Bío with MASISA S.A. as a case study, one of the most important industries of wood panel manufacturing in Latin America. The project integrates the participation of undergraduate and postgraduate students, who work on the experimental design of materials made with waste such as Pinus radiata sawdust and slag from the production processes of wooden boards. The objective of the research is to design a new architecture of active, living and adaptive materials, based on principles of biomimesis, proposing prototypes that add value to industrial solid waste from the Chilean wood manufacturing sector, prospecting alternatives to replace high-demand materials that incorporate polluting raw materials.

The methodology is structured in a sequence of Work Packages (PT) in order to:
1. Determine actions, tools and results to identify types of waste and their technical compatibilities for the design of a new materials architecture;
2. Define challenges based on the study of strengths and weaknesses of high demand materials in the market that incorporate polluting raw materials in Chile;
3. Carry out analysis of biomimicry principles to optimize the conformation of the new materials;
4. Develop prototypes of the new materials;
5. Perform a user emotional validation to determine aspects of perceived quality.

The potential impact of the research in the field of education of undergraduate and postgraduate students is wide, since it provides a sustainable approach in decision-making regarding the materials that make up equipment and living spaces. Beyond considering a selection of available materials in the market, in the future, during the ideation period, students will think about approaching design from the possibility of manufacturing more sustainable materials. The experience provides the opportunity of rethinking the optimization and efficiency strategy of high-demand commercial formats in Chile.

The conclusions are referred to the possibilities offered by the design of a new materials architecture in order to balance technical, emotional and application attributes. The results of the new learning processes that link the university and the company consist on the ideation of materials prototypes that integrate industrial solid waste as part of their composition. An experimental process that allows us to rethink the way we choose the materials that build material culture. This new generation of materials offer solutions to the waste treatment problem and integrates current knowledge into training professionals.

Keywords:

Materials design, industry, waste, sustainability.