This is a double posting from a thread further back about penetrating epoxies. I'm also putting it here as a jumping off point for the group to ponder.

There's a lot of bio-based development going on right now with regard to adhesives. Some of the research has been directed to Lignin based compounds as they are typically the waste material from the paper making process. Previously, these by-products were tough to handle efficiently and usually ended up as a cost to the plant. Now they're showing up as adhesives for headliners and door panels in new cars. They emit far fewer VOC's and have a much lower cost.

The panels themselves are built from several different bio-based, renewable fibers such as Hemp, Flax and Kenaf.

Other bio-based research is showing that an epoxy additive derived from soy oils is very promising. Some of the testing has indicated that additives have iactually increased the strength of epoxy while reducing the use of Bisphenol, petro-based chemistry as much as 30% by volume.

These new products are not clear in appearance yet, typically a dull gray, so they wouldn't lend themselves to a bright finished boat. For those who will be painting their craft, though, they could be a real move in the right direction. In the future I anticipate the development of a transparent product to meet other applications.

I've been reviewing samples of bio-based cloth woven specifically for wetting out with resins. My goal is to build a wood cored boat with laminates derived entirely from bio-based fibers and resins.

I'm trying hard to get some samples sent to my shop for testing. If I can get my hands on some, I'll let the group know how it works.

Chris