Dissemination

BionTop project partner David Nettleton from IRIS Technology Solutions presented in July 2022 at #SIMULTECH 2022 his research results related to "Biodegradation prediction and modelling for decision support”, a mathematical #AI model that allows predicting the #biodegradation of natural materials (eg. #Bioplastics) of food origin that are candidates to replace carbon compounds currently used in the automotive industry, electronics, plastic bags, among others. Interesting in reading more? Grab your copy of the proceedings

#SIMULTECH #bioplastics #AI #biodegradaton #decisionmaking #prediction #modelling #biontop

In the third article about the BIOnTop project, the BIOnTop team from the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University reports the current progress in the field of bio-based multilayer development in the magazine Plastverarbeiter. In detail, whey protein and alginate based coatings have been optimized on PLA/PBSA substrates which resulted in remarkable reduction in oxygen permeability for both films and thermoformed trays. For more information, have a look on the magazine article: https://www.plastverarbeiter.de/preview-reader/eu-projekt-biontop--beitrag-3-383.html?postPreview=452753&postCheck=2b0a5a18fa87045474b9184629dbdf74

Since 2019 Entrepinares is part of the BIOnTOP project wich is funded by the European Commission within the R+D+i Horizon 2020 Program. The main goal of the project is to develop sustainable packaging. In this way, Entrepinares unite innovation and sustainability and work together along other 21 companies, technology centers and universities from 8 countries: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Holland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia and Spain. Please note that the linked article is only available in Spanish: https://diariodevalladolid.elmundo.es/articulo/especiales/sostenibilidad-medio-ambiente-2021/20210604205403400163.html

Committed to local raw materials since its foundation in 1984, our BIOnTop project partner Queserías Entrepinares has been on a steady way to ensure the sustainability of dairy farms. BIOnTop is an essential building block in Entrepinare's drive towards more sustainable packaging of cheese products. Read more about how projects from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking and Horizon 2020, among others, are helping Entrepinares to improve cheese production in "El Día de Valladolid" (02/05/2021). Please note that the linked article is only available in Spanish: https://www.eldiadevalladolid.com/noticia/Z5B469D8C-E8C0-CB29-309580BB03C2F9D1/202104/apuesta-por-la-materia-prima-local

In an article published in the magazine Plasterverarbeiter, the recent experimental results about protein coating are outlined. In principle, the development of biobased coating as potential tool to increase the barrier properties of PLA-based flexible films was illustrated. By using an innovative fatty acid grafting process to modify the surface of whey protein films led to a reduction in the water vapor permeability and a water repellance effect. The variation in process parameters such as temperature and time led to an optimization of the covalent bond formation of fatty acids on top of the whey protein films. Whereas pure whey protein films are hydrophilic and water droplets directly immerse into the film, the fatty acid grafted protein films showed a contact angle above 100° which means the formation of a hydrophobic surface. This hydrophobic surface is also suitable to enhance the easy emptying properties. Overall, the biobased protein coating and fatty acid grafting approach provides high potential to develop biobased packaging offering new end-of-life scenarios such as home compostability and sea water degradability which is under analysis by the BIOnTop team. Ongoing research focus on the upscaling of the coating and grafting as well as the optimization of the coating formulations for thermoformed materials.

Please find the article (in German) under the following link: https://www.plastverarbeiter.de/109061/biobasierte-barrierebeschichtungen

Image from pixabay.com

Abstract: Environmental impacts and consumer concerns have necessitated the study of bio-based materials as alternatives to petrochemicals for packaging applications. The purpose of this review is to summarize synthetic and non-synthetic materials feasible for packaging and textile applications, routes of upscaling, (industrial) applications, evaluation of sustainability, and end-of-life options. The outlined bio-based materials include polylactic acid, polyethylene furanoate, polybutylene succinate, and non-synthetically produced polymers such as polyhydrodyalkanoate, cellulose, starch, proteins, lipids, and waxes. Further emphasis is placed on modification techniques (coating and surface modification), biocomposites, multilayers, and additives used to adjust properties especially for barriers to gas and moisture and to tune their biodegradability. Overall, this review provides a holistic view of bio-based packaging material including processing, and an evaluation of the sustainability of and options for recycling. Thus, this review contributes to increasing the knowledge of available sustainable bio-based packaging material and enhancing the transfer of scientific results into applications.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/7/1558#cite

Since its inception in 2014, BBI JU has contributed to the development of Europe’s competitive and sustainable bio-based industries sector. Through 123 projects funded by BBI JU, close to 1,000 beneficiaries from 37 countries are laying the foundations for a green recovery of Europe.
The booklet published highlights the environmental, socio-economic and technological impacts of BBI JU, and how BBI JU projects are contributing to the EU’s environment and sustainability goals. The high creation rate of skilled jobs and collaboration links between academia and industry, as well as the great leverage effect of investments made in these projects prove the success of the BBI JU model.
Access the publication

Albstadt-Sigmaringen University released an article about BIOnTop in IDM International Dairy Magazine 05/2020. The bi-monthly published English-language trade journal offers an up-to-date summary of global dairy industry developments. The article gives an overview of BIOnTop's general approach to the production of bio-based packaging and how innovations such as whey-protein based coatings and PLA-based films will support the dairy industry to use more renewable and recyclable packaging, that fulfils the technical specifications needed to pack dairy products.

BIOnTop’s partner Albstadt-Sigmaringen University has published an article about the project at Plastverarbeiter magazine. This publication supports plastics processors in designing production in a cost and resource-efficient way as well as recognizing new market opportunities at an early stage. Innovative products and production strategies are also presented, as are concrete practice problems.

The article gives an overview of the project, focused on polylactic acid material, explaining how different teams work on coating technqiues as well as on composites to increase the barrier and mechanical properties of polylactic acid based films and textiles to develop an environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic packaging currently produced from crude oil.

Link to the article

Deliverable D1.2 consists of a survey of commercial grades from different suppliers of the biopolymer PLA of interest for the project. Available diacids for copolymerisation and coating formulations, with special emphasis on diacids produced from bio-sources are listed as well. In the same way, a comprehensive search for selected additives and natural fillers that can be extracted from biomass is reported.

Report including up to date literature (that will feed into review paper(s)), patent and commercial information on home compostable bio-based packaging and textiles among others.

Elodie Bugnicourt, from our partner IRIS, has published an interesting article in Bioplastics Magazine about Emerging circular biobased barrier solutions, including those to be developed in BIOnTop Project.

Read the article E. Bugnicourt et al., Bioplastics Magazine, Vol. 5, September 2019

Our partner IRIS, as an advanced engineering and innovation company, explaines in a blog post how their complementary key enabling technologies in the fields of Circular & Bio-Economy, Photonics and ICTs (Information & Communication Technologies) contribute to circularity in the plastics and related domains throughout their lifecycles. They illustrate, by their increasing number of related projects like BIOnTop, the huge opportunities to do this.

Read the blog post by E. Bugnicourt