Development of novel, high-performance bio-based polymers and co-polymers

Many bio-based monomers and polymers are (relatively) new: while some are well characterised and already produced at industrial scale, there are hundreds of molecular structures with limited application outside the lab, which may be worth exploring in view of future upscaling and market uptake. Often, bio-based polymers have a limited application space in comparison with established fossil-based counterparts also due to some undesired properties (e.g. brittleness, low glass transition temperature). Co-polymerisation or blending with other materials could also be one way to provide a solution to overcome at least some of these issues, but research in the field is scarce due to their (relative) novelty and unavailability of materials in sufficient quantity (at least at pilot scale) to perform testing and characterisation.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Develop polymers with improved or unprecedented properties by:
  • Polymerisation of bio-based monomers with no fossil-based counterpart to produce new polymers with unprecedented properties, and/or
  • Co-polymerisation of (new or known) bio-based monomers to improve the properties of the copolymer with respect to the original polymer(s), and/or
  • Blending of (new or known) bio-based polymers to obtain materials with novel, advanced properties
• Design the polymers so that they are able to match application requirements without using potentially hazardous additives and substances of concern in the end product formulations. Proposals need to specify the end applications sought and involve potential end users to provide specific application requirements.
• Develop pilot scale production and test the products against application requirements, demonstrating high performance and market suitability. Process design choices should take into account energy and resource efficiency showing the potential for future scale up.
• Perform a preliminary assessment of the safety, circularity and overall sustainability of the developed polymers in view of the subsequent scale-up phase. Circularity aspects should be considered from the early stages of material design, based on existing or novel end of life (EoL) options. In the absence of suitable EoL options, projects should highlight R&I gaps that may be taken up by future projects.
• Perform a preliminary techno-economic feasibility analysis of the subsequent scale-up phase, including market considerations (demand; target price; competing products; estimated lead time)

Proposals should also describe their contribution to the Specific CBE JU requirements, presented in section 2.2.3.1 and the Cross-cutting elements, highlighted in section 2.2.3.2 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023[[CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023 (https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents)]].(opens in new window)

Where relevant, proposals should seek links with and capitalise on the results of past and ongoing EU funded projects[[Proposals should consider ongoing and past projects, especially under BBI JU/CBE JU (for example those funded under the call HORIZON-JU-CBE- 2022-R-01) as well as H2020 but also HEU (Clusters 4 and 6)]].