Project description
Nature provides the inspiration for novel natural pigments
Titanium dioxide (TiO2), increasingly in the form of TiO2 nanoparticles, is widely used as a white pigment, especially in creams and lotions. It acts as a UV filter in cosmetics and other products, and can also be found in paints and dyes, paper, plastics and even toothpaste, food and drugs. However, its safe use is increasingly questioned and therefore more natural and sustainable alternatives are needed. Cellulose is a carbohydrate polymer composed of glucose. It is found in all plants and is therefore the most abundant biopolymer on the planet. The EU-funded CelluNANo project sets out to enhance the light-scattering ability of cellulose, elevating it to a natural, safe and sustainable alternative to TiO2.
Objective
Nanomaterials, especially if bio-sourced, have huge promise in a wide range of applications of societal importance to replace inorganic and synthetic counterparts. This is particularly important in the pigment industry, which has long relied on the use of inorganic nanoparticles as scattering enhancers. Now there is a growing demand for natural and sustainable alternatives that avoid the growing concerns over potential long-term health impacts of inorganic materials such as Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. This proposal aims to harvest the design principles offered by natural nanomaterials to fabricate new highly scattering materials using only biopolymers. By exploiting the most abundant biopolymer on the planet, cellulose, and replicating highly scattering architectures observed in nature, this grant aims to scale up a newly developed generation of scattering enhancers that can completely replace the currently used TiO2 nanoparticles. The ability to control the scattering efficiency of cellulosic material will allow us to produce truly sustainable white enhancers that can find use in everyday application such as cosmetics, food, packaging as well as paints and coatings.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantHost institution
CB2 1TN Cambridge
United Kingdom