Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FURIOUS (Versatile FUran-based polymeRs for strIct and high value applicatiOns in packaging, aUtomotive and underwater environmentS)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-11-30
Substitution of fossil-derived monomers with renewable source deriving ones has been targeted as a key issue to be addressed, posing however a difficult challenge in terms of demanding properties that must be achieved by the bio-based polymers. Polysaccharide feedstocks, abundant in nature and available from agricultural wastes, can be converted into C5- and C6-sugars that can be then transformed into sustainable building blocks, such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (2,5-FDCA), for the synthesis of bio-based polymers. The FURIOUS project aims to exploit all the established polymer synthetic strategies to obtain a new class of versatile 2,5-FDCA-based biopolymers (PXF), in terms of ad hoc designed chemical structure, processability and recyclability. In this context, the project will focus on the development and validation of three relevant application contexts: Biomedical and Electronic Packaging, Automotive and Underwater Devices. Furthermore, through a circular approach in terms of End of Life (EoL) options, it will contribute to progress in terms of circular economy with zero waste perspectives.
One of the first objectives of the project was to provide high purity monomer as a suitable building block for the synthesis of high molecular weight furan-based polyesters. To this aim, several syntheses of FDCA-based reference polymer, poly(butylene furanoate) (PBF), starting from different FDCA and DMF batches with distinct purities, to assess requirements and specifications for polymers, have been conducted. This allowed for the correlation of monomer purity with the molecular and functional properties of synthesized polymer. Once the optimal purity of the monomer (or dimethylester) was reached, several systems with properties potentially suitable for flexible biomedical and electronic packaging use, antibacterial car filter, automotive screen, underwater applications consisting of a scaffold that can be produced through stereolithography and a transparent optical cable have been conceived. Assessment of the main structural, chemical, morphological, rheological and thermal properties of the realized furan-based polyesters have been realized, to both provide feedback to refine the synthesis conditions, propose protocols for the appropriate characterization procedures at the laboratory scale for further scale-up and select the best formulations for each application to be developed. Fhe influence of the chemical structure of furan-based polyesters (PXF) on enzymatic decomposition was studied. In this period, analytic methods were established, appropriate enzymes for PXF enzymatic hydrolysis chosen and successful hydrolysis demonstrated. Biodegradability of the new FDCA based polyesters with and without pretreatments was studied. In a first step, PBF was used as polyester and the effect of irradiation by gamma radiations on biodegradation as well as on enzymatic degradation was studied. Thereby, a dose-dependent effect of the pretreatment was found. In the first period, a preliminary life cycle analysis has been carried out over three materials and over a single processing technology (electrospinning) used to obtain non-woven mat based on PBF based fibers, with the aim to assess the related potential environmental and economic performance.
A preliminary exploitation plan has been drawn up considering the contribution of the results to patents, new or existing technologies, services, infrastructures, knowledge bases and standards, to ensure the project innovations are delivered to the market. The project results will contribute towards a regulation and standard development and policy revision in the project field. Cooperation with regulatory bodies and third-party sales and distribution licensees in the project field will be implemented. This process has already begun through the concept development and pre-project market validation work carried out by the partners within their existing customer bases. Companies involved in the synthesis of thermoplastic and thermosetting biopolymers, semi rigid and rigid film manufacturers, medical and electronic devices manufacturers, automotive producers and companies for underwater monitoring will be involved. A PEST analysis will be performed to characterize the Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, and Technological factors and changes to understand the general environment. Markets continuous monitoring will be applied to detect new trends and possibilities and allow the consortium to react and adapt the projects' outcomes to the market changes.