Project description
Biodegradable yet highly absorbent polymers are on their way to market
Plastics such as bags, bottles and straws tend to get most of the attention among the public when it comes to recycling and sustainability of polymers, resulting in significant advances in materials and methods. Superabsorbent polymers used in products like diapers, feminine hygiene and food pads for meat and fish are due for an update because of increasing concerns not only for the environment but for human health. The EU-funded CellSorb project will optimise its cost-effective, non-toxic and biodegradable food pads made from bioplastics and superabsorbent micro-cellulose materials for a green revolution in ‘superabsorbency’.
Objective
Synthetic superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are the mainstream option (i.e. 90% of market share) to be used as absorbent pads in a number of applications, from sanitary products (e.g. diapers, tampons) to food pads (e.g. meat/fish trays to soak up exuded liquids and keep the food fresh). This is mainly due to their superior price-efficiency balance. Nevertheless, proven toxicity and carcinogenic effects related with their use have raised growing health concerns. To put these dangerous practices aside the need of economical biodegradable and non-toxic pads to compete with the synthetic ones are on the rise.
Cellsorb introduces a totally safe (i.e. non-toxic) closed food pad made from bioplastics and superabsorbent micro-cellulose material with the following superior features: 1) Absorbs multiple times its own weight similar with the performance of synthetic food pads, 2) It is fully compostable and 100% renewable, and 3) Competitive pricing over synthetic made food pads. Its uniqueness lies on our innovative production method able to produce microcellulose materials from pulp, creating a non-toxic and biodegradable superabsorbent able to compete in cost-effectiveness with current synthetic ones.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineering
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationcompost
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processes
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplastics
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
661 32 Saffle
Sweden
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.