More information
Description
This project develops new sustainable platform for novel bio-derived polymers used in applications with strict demands for properties (e.g. automotive industry, coatings, packaging, etc). As a raw material, a stream of wood sugars, which very recently became available and is derived from low quality wood residues, is used. Importantly, the environmental benefits and possible adverse effects are fully analyzed throughout the project, enabling the optimization from the sustainability point of view. The environmental sustainability profile of the bio-based polymers studied will be benchmarked against the conventional fossil-derived plastics.
Summary of project results
In this project several routes to new biomass derived plastics with low enivironmental impact were investigated jointly with partners from Estonia, Norway and Lithuania. As a raw material, wood sugars and vanillin, produced from low quality wood by Fibenol (Estonia) and Børragaard (Norway), respectively, was utilized.
In our research we combined the material development with an evaluation of environmental impact in all development steps. This enabled us to direct the outcome towards products and processes, which have lower impact. This is crucial since the chemical and materials industry needs to implement ''green transformation'' and move towards products with lower environmental footprint.
Moreover, the materials were designed with circular economy in mind, i.e., in addition to using a renewable carbon as a raw material, ease of recyclability was also considered.
As a result, we succeeded to develop several different types of bioderived plastics that are easily processable, transparent, mechanically strong and maintain their shape and strenght also at tempratures well above 100°C.
Such plastics are much in demand in a wide range of automotive, construction, coating and packaging applications – these are sectors where the fossil-derived plastics currently dominate, and obtaining corresponding materials from biobased sources has been particularly challenging.
Importantly, students involved received a good training in this emerging field and specialists with such background are sought after by companies aiming to implement green-transformation and increase the sustainability in the chemical and polymer sectors.
We expect that our findings will attract the attention not only inside the academic field, but also within companies in the region who are interesed to add more sustainablev bio-derived solutions and products into their portfolios.
Summary of bilateral results
The Lithuanian partner studied the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into chemical building blocks (citric acid). The Estonian partner developed novel polymers from citric acid and also from other bio-derived building blocks. The Norwegian partner analyzed the environmental impact (LCA) of processes and polymers developed both in Tartu and Vilnius. This analysis by Norwegian partner was crucial as it directed the development towards lower environmental impact and such LCA experise has not been available in such a high level in neither Estonia nor Lithuania. Morover, we jointly improved the methodology to evaluate the environmental impact of emerging bio-based technologies which are still under development in the small lab scale.