Description du projet
Des techniques de traitement innovantes destinées au secteur des thermoplastiques biosourcés
Les plastiques ont révolutionné la société, se frayant un chemin dans presque tous les aspects de notre quotidien. Cela dit, la production et l’élimination de quantités de plus en plus importantes de polymères synthétiques, qui sont à la base des plastiques, sont source de problèmes environnementaux majeurs. L’ambition du projet VITAL, financé par l’UE, est de générer des connaissances et une expertise fondamentales qui aideront les fabricants à substituer les thermoplastiques synthétiques par leurs équivalents biosourcés. Les chercheurs mettront au point de nouveaux procédés de moussage et des systèmes de contrôle numérique intelligents pour faciliter le traitement thermoplastique sur des équipements traditionnels comme sur des systèmes de fabrication additive.
Objectif
VITAL aims to generate fundamental knowledge and expertise that will underpin future European activities to substitute existing synthetic thermoplastics with those from bio-based sources and in so doing, enable the European the polymer processing sector to achieve a paradigm shift towards bio-based alternatives for cleaner, more climate neutral industrial value chains.
This will be achieved through the development of thermoplastic foaming processes, combined with smart digital control approaches, that will enable bio-based thermoplastics to be processed both on traditional processing equipment (for foam injection moulding and bead foaming) as well as developing a globally unique 3D printing approach for foamed thermoplastics. These processing technologies represent three 'value-chains'. In addition, bio-based thermoplastic mechanical recycling developments will underpin progression of engineering applications towards a 'Circularity by Design' approach.
The knowledge produced will be widely disseminated through various conduits, including a Learning Factory that aims to give access to pilot scale industrial lines for each of the 3 value chains in order to reduce the risk for industry for adoption of the technologies.
VITAL brings together a world-leading consortium consisting of industrial processors and equipment manufacturers along with end-user partners from the automotive, electronics and marine sectors and leading research and technologies organisations from across Europe. The 6 use cases in VITAL combine to address the expected outcomes, and create pathways to mitigate ~75,000 tonnes CO2 eq/year from fossil-based materials through a conversion to bio-based materials. The consortium along with the Advisory board will provide a multiplier effect to broaden these impacts with further applications and uses. VITAL's disruptive approaches will help industrial adoption by addressing the cost-challenges of bio-based materials by optimising processing and material use.
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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinateur
02150 Espoo
Finlande