In WP1, regular meetings monitored task progress, addressed issues, and managed risks. Six general and one extraordinary assembly were held, along with three amendments.
In WP2, the OITB management structure, Open Call conditions, and service portfolio were defined. Promotion activities led to 27 Open Call applications, and the SEP was established at M22. A business model was defined as a service broker between providers and customers.
In WP3, upgrades to production processes for nanoadditives resulted in increased production capacity.
In WP4, improvements in production processes for bionanocomposites and the modification of nanoadditives increased productivity and adapted processes to biopolymers.
In WP5, upgrades to various pilot plants (PP) involved in bionanoproducts were validated with commercial biopolymers and bionanocomposites from WP4. These upgrades improved process productivity by increasing production capacity, reducing material consumption, and minimizing validation time. N
In WP6, strategies were implemented to enhance pilot lines through transversal technologies. In-line monitoring systems using NIR technology effectively measured biopolymer permeability and nanoparticle dispersion. Other methods, including ED-XRF and NIR, were explored for measuring thin layers' thickness and homogeneity. Mathematical modeling using Finite Element Method and simulation models optimized trial numbers, and rapid prototyping through 3D printing reduced the need for multiple experiments. Finally, benchmarked technologies like radiography and tomography helped partners select the best techniques for characterizing bio-based nanocomposites.
In WP7, improvements in various pilot plants were validated through 21 user cases proposed by 8 industrial partners. Ten of the 21 user cases were successful in achieving the required properties. Notable successes include:
- UC1_P2: Cleaning wipes with 85% viscose and 15% chemically modified PLA showed industrial compostability.
- UC3: Paper-based materials reinforced with CNF achieved an over 80% improvement in barrier properties and around 40% improvement in mechanical properties.
- UC4_P2: Paper-based materials coated with hydrophobic CNF showed a 17% improvement in water barrier properties.
- UC6: PBS-co-PLA block copolymers as additives in film packaging improved stress at break (+47%), elongation (+133%), and elastic modulus (+250%).
- UC9: Modified clays reinforced biodegradable film in non-food packaging, achieving improvements in stress at break (+26%), elongation (+133%), and elastic modulus (+16%).
- UC10: Sunscreen with CNF and CNC showed enhanced sun protection factor, helping reduce fossil-based additives and UV filters.
- UC11/12: Active nanocapsules for cosmetics and food with antioxidant properties showed comparable performance to commercial products.
- UC15: Thermoformed foamed trays reinforced with organoclays showed a 23.2% density reduction, 50% improvement in tensile strength, and 36% reduction in oxygen transfer rate.
- UC17: Foamed prototypes for the automotive sector using bionanocompounds showed similar density to commercial products, with a 30% improvement in modulus.
WP8 included safety, regulation, and environmental assessments. Toxicity tests showed most user cases were safe, with some exceptions like UC4_2. Exposure measurements revealed inadequate ventilation, suggesting improvements for safety. LCA results identified the most environmentally promising user cases, with process upgrades reducing environmental impact by up to 70%. LCC showed cost improvements, and S-LCA revealed reduced social risks across pilot plants. Recyclability and compostability tests confirmed positive results for several user cases.
In WP9, Business Services developed a portfolio focused on investment and business services. Key activities included workshops on business models, investment readiness, pitching sessions, tailored mentoring, and legal workshops. The service portfolio was structured into technical, process parametrization, and non-technical services.
WP10 launched the Open Call, selecting six test cases, and received positive feedback. Final test cases showed high satisfaction, leading to improvements in the OITB for future clients.
WP11 focused on dissemination, creating the project website, holding national stakeholder events, and participating in 45 conferences. Nine success stories were promoted, with two patents and three peer-reviewed papers submitted.
Exploitation activities in WP11 established an updated exploitation plan, identifying key exploitable results and developing an exploitation roadmap for each industrial sector. These efforts contributed to building an eco-friendly network of pilot plants, offering assessment and innovation services to support the development of bio-based materials with enhanced properties.
