Objective
Polysaccharides (like cellulose or starch) are by far the largest amount of all polymers produced in the world. Fully biodegradable, they are made by Nature. They are the sustainable polymeric materials of tomorrow, when synthetic polymers coming from oil will become expensive and rare. To organize now the EU scientific community around a network in order to promote the use of these renewable raw materials as industry feedstock for the manufacturing of advanced, multifunctional materials is the purpose of this proposal. Its fits the Knowledge-Based Multifunctional Materials part, with a clear centre of gravity on the 3.4.2.3 sub-topic, addressing several objectives of Priority 3 and of Priority 6. Fighting a highly fragmented area, its objectives are of long term importance, its partnership is of proved excellence, and its research plans are very ambitious.
An already established extensive connection with the industrial community ensure a lasting character. The European Polysaccharide Network is composed of 16 large and small world-class research groups from 9 countries, covering all needed expertise (polysaccharide types and scientific disciplines). To allow a full integration and give the sense of a real "super-laboratory", an independent, non-profit, private, single administrative and legal entity will run all the activities developed in common and interact directly inside the partner's organisation. This structure has the very clear advantages of bringing a real collective and efficient management of activities and of allowing research groups to join or leave without administrative complexities. The ambition and objectives of the European Polysaccharide Network are also to train scientists in academia and industry, to spread knowledge, results and excellence and to attract the interest of citizens for science. All this will be organised through 29 Integrating Activities by 8 Work Packages. The Consortium Agreement has been prepared and signed by all partners.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
FP6-2002-NMP-1
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Funding Scheme
NoE - Network of Excellence
Coordinator
Paris
France
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Participants (17)
Wien
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Jena
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PO BOX 1000 Espoo
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Turku / Aabo
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Iasi
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Maribor
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9101 Wageningen
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Rudolstadt
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Lodz
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Nottingham
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Paris
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Innsbruck
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Utrecht
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PO BOX 80 02 09 Hamburg
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München
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Braunschweig
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Graz
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