Periodic Reporting for period 3 - BIOMOTIVE (Advanced BIObased polyurethanes and fibres for the autoMOTIVE industry with increased environmental sustainability)
Reporting period: 2020-06-01 to 2021-11-30
Biomotive is paving the way for the production and subsequent market penetration of bio-based automotive interior parts with enhanced technical performance, improved environmental profile and economic competitiveness, with the aim of replacing its fossil-based, non-biodegradable counterparts. The bio-based plastics which are currently used in the automotive industry are mainly derived from vegetable oils like soybean oil and castor oil. These pose serious environmental concern in terms of competition with the food and feed chains. The goal of the Biomotive project was to use monomers and polymers with sustainable, second-generation feedstock. It also assures that the mechanical and functional properties of developed bio-based solutions can compete with the products currently available in the market. Biobased polyurethanes have the potential to kickstart a new era in the application of biobased materials into the automotive sector, improving performance, cost, competitiveness and environmental sustainability – all paving the way towards mass use in the production of vehicles. From a scientific and technological perspective, Biomotive demonstrated the production of bio-based raw materials and building blocks for the subsequent application in the formulation of bio-based polyesters-polyols and bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and the production of novel cellulose based regenerated fibres from paper pulp. From a final application perspective, Biomotive validated, on an industrial scale, the bio-based polymers in producing the interior of cars, such as the foams for production of bio-based seats and the regenerated fibre for producing bio-based textile seat covers.
Within the Biomotive project, several renewable, competitive, and sustainable feedstocks have been used for the production of bio-based monomers, building blocks and polymers. The first raw material is represented by wood pulp, and the second raw material by vegetable oils obtained by oil crops grown in marginal lands. These are not in competition with food and feed value chains (such as, but not limited to, cardoon seeds). Sugars from by-products of first and second-generation sugar feedstocks represent the third. Life cycle analysis and recyclability tests have shown that materials developed produced and demonstrated in the project have significantly lower carbon footprint and higher sustainability than standard materials currently used in the automotive sector. The project has been completed in November 2021.
Within the Biomotive project, several renewable, competitive, and sustainable feedstocks have been used for the production of bio-based monomers, building blocks and polymers. The first raw material is represented by wood pulp, and the second raw material by vegetable oils obtained by oil crops grown in marginal lands. These are not in competition with food and feed value chains (such as, but not limited to, cardoon seeds). Sugars from by-products of first and second-generation sugar feedstocks represent the third. Life cycle analysis and recyclability tests have shown that materials developed produced and demonstrated in the project have significantly lower carbon footprint and higher sustainability than standard materials currently used in the automotive sector. The project has been completed in November 2021.
Biomotive project has successfully demonstrated the full value chain of sustainable, bio-based automotive car parts. Some key objectives achieved were:
- Identification of an optimized protocol for oil extraction and purification by means allowing to obtain high quality vegetable oils from cardoon and safflower grown in marginal lands in cooperation with farmers
- Demonstration of innovative biobased building blocks preparation and vegetable oils leveraging the enhancement and continuous improvement of Novamont sites.
- Resource efficiency measures implemented at different Novamont group demo sites to fulfill circular bioeconomy principles (energy efficiency, feasibility to assess the usability of biogenic CO2 gaseous streams into innovative biopolymers)
- Scale-up of a novel manufacturing process for the conversion of paper-grade wood pulp into man-made cellulosic fibres in Metsa Fibre and consequent transformation into a form of textiles and composites in vehicles at TITK
- Development of chemical processes and recipes for transformation of bio-based building blocks into plastics raw materials
- Design and construction of demo – scale installations for the production of bio-based plastic raw materials
- Production of bio-based plastic materials and subsequent bio-based car parts manufacturing in demo scale: Car cockpit parts 60 % biocarbon, car seats 60 % biocarbon and car seat textiles 100 % biocarbon
- Life cycle analysis of obtained materials shows 75 % decrease in carbon footprint as well as other positive environmental effects
- Eco-design of biobased cockpit parts and seats allowed easy removal for recycling
- Recyclability of scrap cockpit parts and seat foams has been demonstrated giving used Bimotive materials a second life as insulation foams, construction chemistry applicators and bitumen formulations
- Non isocyanate foams developed in the project have been successfully used for vertical garden installations boosting the sustainability of living spaces.
- Seven patents have been filed throughout the project based on the findings and numerous dissemination activities have been undertaken in countries of the respective project participants
- Identification of an optimized protocol for oil extraction and purification by means allowing to obtain high quality vegetable oils from cardoon and safflower grown in marginal lands in cooperation with farmers
- Demonstration of innovative biobased building blocks preparation and vegetable oils leveraging the enhancement and continuous improvement of Novamont sites.
- Resource efficiency measures implemented at different Novamont group demo sites to fulfill circular bioeconomy principles (energy efficiency, feasibility to assess the usability of biogenic CO2 gaseous streams into innovative biopolymers)
- Scale-up of a novel manufacturing process for the conversion of paper-grade wood pulp into man-made cellulosic fibres in Metsa Fibre and consequent transformation into a form of textiles and composites in vehicles at TITK
- Development of chemical processes and recipes for transformation of bio-based building blocks into plastics raw materials
- Design and construction of demo – scale installations for the production of bio-based plastic raw materials
- Production of bio-based plastic materials and subsequent bio-based car parts manufacturing in demo scale: Car cockpit parts 60 % biocarbon, car seats 60 % biocarbon and car seat textiles 100 % biocarbon
- Life cycle analysis of obtained materials shows 75 % decrease in carbon footprint as well as other positive environmental effects
- Eco-design of biobased cockpit parts and seats allowed easy removal for recycling
- Recyclability of scrap cockpit parts and seat foams has been demonstrated giving used Bimotive materials a second life as insulation foams, construction chemistry applicators and bitumen formulations
- Non isocyanate foams developed in the project have been successfully used for vertical garden installations boosting the sustainability of living spaces.
- Seven patents have been filed throughout the project based on the findings and numerous dissemination activities have been undertaken in countries of the respective project participants
BIOMOTIVE expects the project will deliver the following impacts:
- Bio-based material mindset created within Biomotive Partners
- New sustainable construction chemistry products being developed based on Biomotive know-how
- Transformation or extension of Selena/Novamont/Metsa/TITK/Maier/Leda Polymers/Intap product portfolio
- A total reduction in GHG emissions of up to 58% for the final products through formulating bio-based PUs and foams with bio-based monomers with improved environmental profile
- Potential creation of approx. 390 new jobs in the biobased sector.
- Bio-based material mindset created within Biomotive Partners
- New sustainable construction chemistry products being developed based on Biomotive know-how
- Transformation or extension of Selena/Novamont/Metsa/TITK/Maier/Leda Polymers/Intap product portfolio
- A total reduction in GHG emissions of up to 58% for the final products through formulating bio-based PUs and foams with bio-based monomers with improved environmental profile
- Potential creation of approx. 390 new jobs in the biobased sector.