Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - NMP - BioNanoPolys

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Introduction

BioNanoPolys (Open Innovation Test Bed for Developing Safe Nano-Enabled Bio-Based Materials and Polymer Bionanocomposites for Multifunctional and New Advanced Applications) brings together 27 partners from 12 countries including knowledge institutes, technology developers, and industrial partners. The project is coordinated by ITENE (Spain), a technological center aiming at the promotion of sustainability in the fields of packaging, logistics, transport and mobility. BioNanoPolys will have a duration of 4 years (Jan/2021 – Dec/2024) and has received funding from EU within the Horizon 2020 Programme.

Project description

Nano-enabled bio-based materials can combine the best of unique functionalities: biocompatibility and sustainability. However, their development, testing and regulatory compliance processes are often far beyond the capabilities – financial and technical – of the innovators that seek to commercialise them. The EU-funded BIONANOPOLYS project aims to launch an open, innovative test bed for the design, development, testing, regulatory and environmental assessment, and upscaling of promising nano-enabled bio-based materials. With easy access to users across Europe, it will foster collaboration and innovation to secure Europe's lead in a field with growing influence in areas from packaging and coatings to biomedicine.

Objectives

These are the objectives of BioNanoPolys:

  • Establishing pilot lines with cutting edge technology upgraded at TRL 7 with the objetive to produce nanoenabled biobased materials with multifunctional properties to be dispersed in cellulose and polymeric matrices assuring the best dispersion and the robustness of the final properties. Developed materials will be validated in application such as packaging, cosmetic, medical, foam, nonwoven, coating, 3D printing, textiles and cellulose-paper.
  • Using primary raw materials from different feedstocks: BioNanoPolys will use the most relevant feedstock in Europe to obtain bio-based nano-enabled composites.
  • Offering complementary services: BioNanoPolys will offer to the industry a wide variety of services for the market uptake of a new bio-based nano-enabled products, such as safety protocols for bio-based nano-enabled materials, training for staff specialization, standardisation, business modelling, access to follow-on finance or IPR protection as a crucial mean of ensuring the capitalisation on the investments made by our stakeholders and other investors.

Role of Ghent University

Ghent University is responsible for the primary biomass supply to the pilot lines. Different biomass sources will be selected depending on the value chain and Ghent University will also make an inventory of the selected biomass sources including a focus on waste streams and biomass issued from phytoremediation activities that could be used to enhance the sustainability of the process.

Ghent University is also involved in the setting up of the Open Innovation Test Bed and disseminating the projects activities, mainly via the Biorefine Cluster Europe platform.

Website

BioNanoPolys

Contact

Prof. Erik Meers
Department Green Chemistry and Technology
Phone number: +32 (0) 478 78 60 98
E-mail