Development of a Circular Climbing & Mountaineering Rope based on bio-based PA

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The scope will be to produce and test fibers and to fabricate a demonstrator Mammut signed the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in 2018 and verified its climate targets in 2021 as an absolute reduction of 55% by 2030 through the Science-based Targets Initiative. Mammut has committed itself to taking three measures. Firstly, to reduce CO2 emissions within our value chain, secondly, compensation through conventional carbon offsetting in a transition phase and thirdly, compensation through carbon removal in line with the net zero target. The project supports the first action to reduce fossil raw materials along the value chain and accelerate the transition to renewable raw materials. The emissions generated by Mammut amount to 75% (41,413 t CO2 equivalent) based on goods and services. This refers to around 600 t of PA and 360 t of polyester, which must be replaced by bio-based materials. The chosen application is ropes in general, with two main focuses, on the one hand the use of recycled PA and on the other hand bio-based PA. Mammut is looking for ideas and solutions for the challenge of developing sports and mountaineering ropes from bio-based raw materials from polyamides or comparable products. Unlike virgin ropes (polyamide), the challenge in developing bio-based ropes is to find the right bio-based replacement that meets the technical and certification requirements of a climbing and/or mountaineering rope. Providers of biobased or recycled Polyamide are: 1. https://www.genomatica.com/products/ 2. Aquafil: sustainable textile company | ECONYL® recycled yarn 3. ECONYL – Sustainability | ZeroPoint Compression 4. TECHNYL 4EARTH | DOMO Chemicals 5. Wipag, Lanxess, Rexopol, Altech® PA66 ECO 1000/116 from Albis Certain materials are to be selected and processed into fibres at FHNW's own melt spinning line. These fibers need to be characterized and, if necessary, adapted to the melt spinning process. Degree of innovationThe novelty of the approach is that end user knowhow / demand, processing and polymer formulation (and scaling) are covered by the competences of the partners. Typically climbing ropes have a high nr of filaments up to 1100dtex. This means that the effort to do screening is high related to equipment costs and material effort (around 1t/trail). The innovatin will be that on lab scale FHNW can do fast screening of different new bio-based PA materials and derive processing parameters. In a second step this feasibility results can be used as decision criteria to invest into large scale tests. EffectMammut has committed to do three actions. First to reduce CO2-emissions within our value chain, second to compensation through conventional carbon offsetting in a transition phase and third to compensation through carbon removal in line with net-zero. The project supports the first action by phase out coal and other fossil fuels across the value chain and accelerate the transition to renewable sources of energy which is based on an analysis of 2018. Mammut’s generated emission are 75% (41’413 t CO2 eq) based on goods and services. This means around 600t of PA must be replaced by bio-based materials. The selected application is a climbing rope. The goal of the pilot project is to build up development know-how and a production network for bio-based ropes made from PA. Thanks to the knowledge gained in the pilot project, Mammut hopes to achieve significant time savings in the development of innovative, bio-based PA and thus gain a market advantage over the competition in achieving its to become NetZero by 2050. Methodological qualityThe funds will be used by FHNW to enable melt spinning of selected, newly defined /or modified PA grades. These grades will be characterised by DSC, MFR, process parameters will be derived, initial fibers will be processed, characterised and compared to the requirements of Mammut. By the discussion including all partners a starting point for further development can be reached which is the starting point for an innovation project including all partners. FHNW has all the knowhow and equipment necessary for characterisation, fiber spinning and 3D-printing, and Mammut has the know-how about and access to fabrication of the application. By frequent updates and coordination, we can make most efficient use of the funds. Gender and DiversityThe project includes the following contact points and respects both genders. · Sophie Renot, Innovation Manager, Mammut Sports Group AG,· Prof. Dr. Christian Brauner, Delal Arslan FHNW Scope and TasksThe scope will be to produce and test fibers and to fabricate a demonstrator The work packages will be: WP1: Bio-based polymer analysisWP2: Definition of the bio-based polymer grades suitable for high tenacity PA6WP3: Spinning trials at FHNWWP4: Pilot run at supplier (incl. 1ton of bio-based raw-material to provide) Budget and Co-Funding Yes, we would like to get support by the Innobooster / external expert We would ask for 25000CHF funding which will be used by FHNW (WP 1,2,3). 20% of the third-party contribution will be paid by Mammut in the project.

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: Development of a Circular Climbing & Mountaineering Rope based on bio-based PA
• Date: 9/26/2022 9:17:58 AM
• Administrators:
  • Christian Brauner

Project Idea Description

Mammut signed the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in 2018 and verified its climate targets in 2021 as an absolute reduction of 55% by 2030 through the Science-based Targets Initiative.

Mammut has committed itself to taking three measures. Firstly, to reduce CO2 emissions within our value chain, secondly, compensation through conventional carbon offsetting in a transition phase and thirdly, compensation through carbon removal in line with the net zero target. The project supports the first action to reduce fossil raw materials along the value chain and accelerate the transition to renewable raw materials. The emissions generated by Mammut amount to 75% (41,413 t CO2 equivalent) based on goods and services. This refers to around 600 t of PA and 360 t of polyester, which must be replaced by bio-based materials. The chosen application is ropes in general, with two main focuses, on the one hand the use of recycled PA and on the other hand bio-based PA. Mammut is looking for ideas and solutions for the challenge of developing sports and mountaineering ropes from bio-based raw materials from polyamides or comparable products.

Unlike virgin ropes (polyamide), the challenge in developing bio-based ropes is to find the right bio-based replacement that meets the technical and certification requirements of a climbing and/or mountaineering rope.

Providers of biobased or recycled Polyamide are:

1. https://www.genomatica.com/products/

2. Aquafil: sustainable textile company | ECONYL® recycled yarn

3. ECONYL – Sustainability | ZeroPoint Compression

4. TECHNYL 4EARTH | DOMO Chemicals

5. Wipag, Lanxess, Rexopol, Altech® PA66 ECO 1000/116 from Albis

Certain materials are to be selected and processed into fibres at FHNW's own melt spinning line. These fibers need to be characterized and, if necessary, adapted to the melt spinning process.

Degree of innovation

The novelty of the approach is that end user knowhow / demand, processing and polymer formulation (and scaling) are covered by the competences of the partners. Typically climbing ropes have a high nr of filaments up to 1100dtex. This means that the effort to do screening is high related to equipment costs and material effort (around 1t/trail). The innovatin will be that on lab scale FHNW can do fast screening of different new bio-based PA materials and derive processing parameters. In a second step this feasibility results can be used as decision criteria to invest into large scale tests.

Effect

Mammut has committed to do three actions. First to reduce CO2-emissions within our value chain, second to compensation through conventional carbon offsetting in a transition phase and third to compensation through carbon removal in line with net-zero. The project supports the first action by phase out coal and other fossil fuels across the value chain and accelerate the transition to renewable sources of energy which is based on an analysis of 2018. Mammut’s generated emission are 75% (41’413 t CO2 eq) based on goods and services. This means around 600t of PA must be replaced by bio-based materials. The selected application is a climbing rope.

The goal of the pilot project is to build up development know-how and a production network for bio-based ropes made from PA. Thanks to the knowledge gained in the pilot project, Mammut hopes to achieve significant time savings in the development of innovative, bio-based PA and thus gain a market advantage over the competition in achieving its to become NetZero by 2050.

Methodological quality

The funds will be used by FHNW to enable melt spinning of selected, newly defined /or modified PA grades. These grades will be characterised by DSC, MFR, process parameters will be derived, initial fibers will be processed, characterised and compared to the requirements of Mammut. By the discussion including all partners a starting point for further development can be reached which is the starting point for an innovation project including all partners.

FHNW has all the knowhow and equipment necessary for characterisation, fiber spinning and 3D-printing, and Mammut has the know-how about and access to fabrication of the application. By frequent updates and coordination, we can make most efficient use of the funds.

Gender and Diversity

The project includes the following contact points and respects both genders.

· Sophie Renot, Innovation Manager, Mammut Sports Group AG,

· Prof. Dr. Christian Brauner, Delal Arslan FHNW

Scope and Tasks

The scope will be to produce and test fibers and to fabricate a demonstrator

The work packages will be:

WP1: Bio-based polymer analysis

WP2: Definition of the bio-based polymer grades suitable for high tenacity PA6

WP3: Spinning trials at FHNW

WP4: Pilot run at supplier (incl. 1ton of bio-based raw-material to provide)

Budget and Co-Funding

Yes, we would like to get support by the Innobooster / external expert

We would ask for 25000CHF funding which will be used by FHNW (WP 1,2,3). 20% of the third-party contribution will be paid by Mammut in the project.

The scope will be to produce and test fibers and to fabricate a demonstrator