Canterbury students join Kent’s Tensei on sustainable materials project

Students from Canterbury Christ Church University recently joined forces with Tensei, a Kent company that specialises in designing and producing innovative plant fibre materials, to investigate and research their latest sustainable material.

The hands-on collaboration had students from the university’s material engineering module exploring the use of sustainable materials, with a particular focus on the use of polymers combined with agricultural residues.

These materials, termed ‘Second Harvest’, use agricultural byproducts like fruit skins and cereal grains, which are typically underutilised and provide an alternative environmentally friendly solution to reducing plastic use.

Students were tasked with characterising these polymers enhanced with agri-residue fillers, assessing their properties like 3D printability, recyclability, and mechanical properties.

The students’ findings demonstrated that the Second Harvest materials could effectively replace traditional plastics in various uses, potentially revolutionising the industry with greener alternatives.

These findings were well-documented in a series of group reports, which articulated the detailed investigations and experiments conducted by the students.

Dr Salman Saeidlou, senior lecturer in mechanical/material engineering, delivers the material engineering module.

“Integrating Tensei's innovative materials into our curriculum provided students with invaluable exposure to cutting-edge sustainable technology”, he said.

“This project not only enhanced their learning, but also instilled a sense of responsibility towards using science for social good.

By bridging the gap between theoretical studies and practical implementation, Canterbury Christ Church University and Tensei are setting a benchmark for education in sustainable engineering.”

The project was part of a social values programme by Tensei, which had previously received a grant through the Growing Kent & Medway research partnership programme.

Looking forward, both Canterbury Christ Church University and Tensei are keen to explore further opportunities for student engagement and research into sustainable materials.

Ellie Purvis from Tensei added: “Working with Canterbury Christ Church University was a great experience for Tensei.

“It was wonderful to see how the students approached the challenge and the material applications they devised.

“Tensei’s aim is to make sustainability a key part of material engineering, and this was reflected brilliantly in the work of the students.”