Sustainable is a word that is thrown around a lot, and we’ve seen snowboards made out of some “interesting” materials, including bamboo. That fast-growing grass has also been used for bikes and even cycling apparel. But researchers from South Yorkshire have come up with a “nutty” idea that would utilize biocomposite materials in the construction of snowboards.
The team from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre has developed a snowboard made out of flax and bits of cashew nut husks.
While many aerospace and automotive sectors are increasingly using composite materials, which provide both low weight and strength, there is a downside. For one many of the carbon or glass fibers embedded in the epoxy resins are derived from petrochemicals. These are energy-intensive to manufacture, and are not biodegradable. Nor are those materials easily recyclable.
Now researchers, such as those at AMRC are looking at alternative materials, and this includes those that might seem downright nutty! That bag of nuts could turn out to be a not-so-unhealthy snack after spending a day riding on a board made from the husks of the same nuts.
[Via Rotherham Investment & Development Office: AMRC hits the slopes with snowboarding showcase]