Bio-based materials

Researching alternative, non-toxic elements for the synthesis of polyurethane. Fully renewable resources, such as residues from sugar refineries and the production of biofuel, natural oils and fats, are used to develop biobased polyurethane.

Centexbel's concept for a biobased self-reinforced composite material receives the prestigious JEC World Innovation Award in the category “Sustainability”

The TEXTOS project will develop an innovative 3D-matrix for tissue technology to reconstruct, regenerate or replace the tissue structures of deficient organs. This matrix consists of carrier material produced from natural polymers made from crops.

This Interreg 2 Seas-Mers-Zeeën project will develop biobased composites for applications in a marine environment in answer to the growing markets for fish & seaweed farming, energy harvesting, boats, pontons, anchoring and buoy elements.

MACOBIO is part of the project cluster FEDER 2014-2020 - Low Carbon Footprint Materials - addressing the validation of natural resources for the production of novel biobased materials. MACOBIO is aimed at the design of 100% biobased composite materials, including innovative thermoplastic and thermoset biobased matrixes, reinforced with natural fibres.

Expanding the possibilities of 3D printing by developing new bioased 3D printing materials

BIO4SELF aims at fully biobased self-reinforced polymer composites (SRPC). To produce the SRPCs two polylactic acid (PLA) grades are required: a low melting temperature (Tm) one to form the matrix and an ultra high stiffness and high Tm one to form the reinforcing fibres. To reach unprecedented stiffness in the reinforcing PLA fibres, we will combine PLA with bio-LCP (liquid crystalline polymer) for nanofibril formation. Further, we will increase the temperature resistance of PLA and improve its durability. This way, BIO4SELF will exploit recent progress in PLA fibre technology. We will add

Today, PLA is made from corncobs, sugarcane and sugar beets, but, in the future, it will be produced from agricultural wastes. Using PLA is beneficial because it is a renewable resource that does not (or to a lesser degree) deplete the oil resources. This certainly reduces the carbon–footprint of the end product.

The development of new antimicrobial treatments is an area of continuing research. This entry takes a bird’s eye view on advances and focuses, in particular, on trends toward solvent-free chemistry by plasma-assisted coating deposition methods. General principles of antimicrobial and antifouling

Ghent
Researcher "Functional Thermoplastic Textiles"