CENTEXBEL is the Belgian scientific and technical centre for the textile industry, located in the heart of the Belgian industry with strong links to the majority of the textile and plastic conversion companies. CTB offers a complete range of standardized testing, it is a notified body for protective clothing, and can deliver CE marking and testing.
CTB is also involved in standardization committees and offers technological advice and training to companies in Belgium or abroad. Via take-over of the “Flemish Plastic Centre” its expertise and services have been diversified towards the plastic and composite industry.
The research focus of CTB is on applied research, funded by private contract as well as national and international agencies (e.g. H2020, FP7, LIFE, Interreg, Eranet). Some well selected subjects for strategic research are: i) intelligent textiles; ii) innovative finishing, coating and laminating formulations and technology; iii) biomedical interactions of textiles; iv) polymer formulation and extrusion processes (incl. biopolymers); v) implementation of nanotechnology, vi) additive manufacturing and vii) textile reinforced composites. In the past decennium large expertise was built-up in the domain of processing via formulation and pilot line processing of a range of biopolymers including PLA. The developments resulted in a range of industrial implementations in different textile and composite domains. Formulations with controlled biodegradability could boost the further penetration and implementation of biopolymers in the textile market and especially for aquaculture application in the sea.
Lien Van der Schueren
Lien holds a master in Materials Engineering and obtained her PhD in Textile Engineering on the subject of chromic textile materials. At CTB she mainly works on European and private research projects in the field of extrusion of thermoplastic polymers and fibre reinforced composites, including bio-based materials. In BIOGEARS she is mainly working on WP3 on the design and development of biobased rope prototypes using Centexbels pilot filament extrusion equipment.